Dossier Climate change: FAQs
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General questions on climate change
- 1.What is climate and how does it differ from weather?
- 2.What is climate change?
- 3.What is the “greenhouse effect” and how does it affect climate?
- 4.What causes climate change?
- 5.What are the impacts of climate change?
- 6.Will countries with an emission target meet their Kyoto target?
General questions on climate policy
- 7.What is the Kyoto Protocol?
- 8.What's the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)?
- 9.Will countries with an emission target meet their Kyoto target?
- 10.Which are the top-20 CO2 or GHG emitting countries?
Questions on abrupt climate change
- 11.What is thermohaline circulation?
- 12.What is "abrupt climate change”?
- 13.How can global warming make things cooler?
Questions related to the Conference of the Parties (COP)
- 14.What is at stake in Copenhagen?
- 15.What is the Clean Development Mechanism?
- 16.What is the EU’s proposal for emission reduction targets by 2020?
- 17.Which targets have countries proposed for themselves for 2020?
- 18.Why did Dutch and European climate policymakers choose the long-term target of limiting climate change to a maximum, average global temperature increase of 2 degree Celsius?
- 19.What is the Adaptation Fund?
- 20.What is REDD?
- Question 19
- What is the Adaptation Fund?
- Answer
The Adaptation Fund is established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The fund is financed with the proceeds from a 2% share in certified emission reduction credits generated by clean development mechanism (CDM) projects in developing countries, which are used by industrialised countries as a means to meet their targets, together with voluntary contributions.
The scale of funding under the Adaptation Fund for post 2012 depends on the continuation of the CDM and the level of demand in the carbon market. Assuming a share of proceeds for an adaptation of 2% continues to apply after 2012, the level of funding could be hundreds of millions of euros per year by 2030, if there is a low demand by Annex I Parties for credits from non-Annex I Parties. This amount could increase to up to 4 billion euros per year, if demand by Annex I Parties is high.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) provides secretariat services to its operating entity, the Adaptation Fund Board, and the World Bank serves as the trustee of the Adaptation Fund. Both do so on an interim basis.
More information
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The Adaptation Fund
UNFCCC Adaptation fact sheet
