date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 13:39:35 -0400 from: Ravi Sharma (by way of Neil Leary) subject: Re: AID grant to help AIACC with training etc. to: nobre@cptec.inpe.br, lal321@hotmail.com, lindam@atd.ucar.edu, phw@dar.csiro.au, m.hulme@uea.ac.uk Dear Neil, This is very good news indeed, especially after the uncertainty of Canadian funds. One unfulfilled goal for AIACC in the context of stakeholder involvement remains the integration of policy people. This is necessary to meet the project requirement of incorporating AIACC research outputs into second national communications. We are still told by UNFCCC focal Points that AIACC is an exclusive activity for the research community with weak, if any, links to the policy community. This is also reflected in the slow receipt of endorsement letters from the GEF focal points. However, few PIs are attempting to resolve this issue with a long-term goal, except by organising one-off workshops with the national policy community. Besides being an important aim of the AIACC, establishing an effective link between research and policy community could potentially be a very successful outcome of AIACC. While the science literature is full of details and assessments of various climate phenomena, stakeholders especially those developing policies and making day-to-day decisions on production systems etc, are not readily exposed to this information. Important synergies exist not only between policy and research community but also between different areas of activity, such as food security, water resources and coastal zones. Possible synergies also exist between adaptation and mitigation in the areas of forestry, agriculture and carbon sink enhancement. Can the AIACC project establish well harmonised networks in the regions and countries that incorporate CC research community, natural resource management/development research community and policy makers? Is there a possibility of initiating a bottom-up web networking, starting from the national/regional level? Climate change impacts are not high on the political agenda of most developing countries. National and regional networks besides helping mainstream adaptation will raise awareness about available information on possible climate change impacts as well as about the notions of vulnerability and adaptive capacity. Active participation of policy makers in the implementation of AIACC research activities may be key identifying opportunities to mainstream adaptation into development planning and projects. The USAID funding for development of a web based network and catalysing stakeholder involvement could therefore be targeted to two main activities: involvement of stakeholders through meetings/workshops preferably at national level and leading to web based network at national or regional level. This would build capacities where it is needed most. All the best, Ravi Sharma