RFF to Launch New Global Adaptation Atlas at Copenhagen Climate Talks
RFF to Launch New Global Adaptation Atlas at
Copenhagen Climate Talks
Global Adaptation Atlas Will Provide Data to Help Planners
Respond to Climate Change
For Release: December 8, 2009
Contacts: Nisha Krishnan, RFF at (202) 328-5182
WASHINGTON – A powerful analytical tool to help the world’s nations prepare and adapt to the impacts of climate change will be unveiled at the United Nations climate deliberations in Copenhagen.
The Global Adaptation Atlas, an initiative of Resources for the Future’s Center for Climate and Electricity Policy, will present information vital to adaptation in a user-friendly, dynamic, online mapping tool that synthesizes and visualizes the diverse types of data needed for research, planning, policy development and more importantly, funding for adaptation action.
Adaptation is a complex problem: climate impacts are highly local, but adaptation finance and planning are global and national responsibilities, says Ray Kopp, RFF senior fellow and director of RFF’s Center for Climate and Electricity Policy. RFF has been at the frontier in the development of complementary mitigation and adaptation strategies he adds, and has specifically focused on the need for large-scale information collection and wide-spread dissemination regarding the effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation finance and activities.
The Atlas is a multi-year initiative, led by Kopp and Atlas Project Manager Nisha Krishnan. The beta version of the Atlas will be launched at Copenhagen. Atlas Advisory Board members, comprising experts on adaptation research, finance, and technology, include Mohamed El-Ashry of the UN Foundation; Mike MacCracken of the Climate Institute; and Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio of the Rockefeller Foundation, among others.
Atlas Advisory Board Chair and former RFF Fellow Shalini Vajjhala notes that the issue of transparency is at the core of current negotiations. “The Atlas has the potential to serve as a virtual honest broker, bringing together input from citizens and scientists around the world to make the link between regional climate impacts, international adaptation funds, and on-the-ground progress,” says Vajjhala.
The Atlas website – www.adaptationatlas.org – will be officially launched on December 8, 2009, at a special exhibit at the COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen.
* * * * * * * * * *
Founded in 1952, Resources for the Future is an independent, nonprofit research organization that conducts policy analysis – rooted primarily in economics and other social sciences – on environmental, energy, and natural resource issues.
#####
Resources for the Future (RFF) is an independent, nonprofit research institution in Washington, DC. Its mission is to improve environmental, energy, and natural resource decisions through impartial economic research and policy engagement. RFF is committed to being the most widely trusted source of research insights and policy solutions leading to a healthy environment and a thriving economy.
Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed here are those of the individual authors and may differ from those of other RFF experts, its officers, or its directors. RFF does not take positions on specific legislative proposals.
For more information, please see our media resources page or contact Media Relations and Communications Specialist Annie McDarris.
