Climate Change Adaptation

The German G7 presidency attaches particular importance to pursuing an integrated approach to planning and implementing climate change adaptation measures. Continuous development of national adaptation strategies (NAS) and plans (NAPs) will further enhance national adaptation capacities, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Adaptation measures that not only mitigate the negative impacts of climate change but also make a visible contribution to improving our quality of life and to environmental sustainability are extremely important to us.

With that in mind, the G7 are aware of the crucial role played by Nature-based Solutions (NbS). When these solutions are well designed and implemented, they offer multiple benefits for biodiversity, climate change adaptation and climate change mitigation. They strengthen nature’s ecosystem services and help achieve a range of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Since adaptation measures need to be directly tailored to the risks and vulnerabilities of each place, in many cases they are most effectively adopted and implemented at regional and local level. This is why the G7 supports local and regional stakeholders with funding and capacity building measures to ensure adaptation planning and implementation on the ground.

The impacts of climate change vary depending on location, social group or individual circumstances. For this reason, adaptation measures must be individually tailored. Children, the elderly, people with disabilities, indigenous peoples and marginalised individuals in G7 countries and beyond are often particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This means that their needs are a particular focus of the implementation of adaptation measures. The G7 will therefore adopt diverse, inclusive, gender-neutral, participatory and transparent approaches to climate change adaptation, and pay particular attention to the needs of vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems in the implementation of its adaptation policies, plans, strategies and campaigns.

The German G7 presidency is particularly concerned about changes in the water cycle, including extreme events, but also gradual impacts on water availability, water quality and water-related ecosystems brought about by climate change. This year’s presidency will therefore focus on adaptation to water-related climate impacts as a key challenge and advocate for sustainable and climate-resilient water management as a critical component in overall climate resilience of economic sectors, ecosystems and society.

The G7 therefore aims to strengthen, accelerate and expand the scope of adaptation measures, including Nature-based Solutions, and to help the most vulnerable people and ecosystems adapt to the impacts of climate change to the fullest extent possible. It is clear that climate adaptation and climate change mitigation are two sides of the same coin and that climate change adaptation can only succeed in combination with ambitious emission reductions.