Article 7 of the Paris Agreement establishes a “Global Goal on Adaptation” (GGA) of enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience, and reducing vulnerability to climate change (Art. 7.1). The adaptation efforts of developing countries shall be “recognized” (7.3). Additional rules on the implementation of the Paris Agreement, subsequently adopted in Katowice in 2018, encourage parties to report on their adaptation efforts. However, the GGA has not been further defined so far. As a result, parties launched a two-year Glasgow–Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation during the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Glasgow (COP26).

This paper, which was jointly produced by Legal Response Initiative (LRI) and SLYCAN Trust, presents approaches on how the GGA could be operationalized in a meaningful way. However, further analysis is needed to ensure that the work programme provides for resilience-building at all levels, particularly leading to an enhanced adaptive capacity of those most vulnerable to climate change. This includes activities aimed at identifying needs or risks, enhancing reporting, developing indicators, sharing information, scaling up processes, ensuring stakeholder engagement through inclusive and participatory processes, measuring success, building capacities, raising sufficient funding, and channelling support.

This includes collective, multi-stakeholder driven processes which would bring insights into different dimensions related to the GGA and create scenarios for transformative, inclusive, and participatory action leading to scaled-up resilience in the short- and long-term.