A long term strategy is needed. It is obtained through defining the scope and objectives of the strategy covering both the advantages and negative impacts of climate change.

You must strive for clear commitments from all stakeholders to support the entire process dealing with climate change. Long term decisions are important although they are not always easy to reach. As a policy maker, you are responsible for building long term capacity for society and ecosystems to adapt to climate change and for integrating mitigation within all possible sectors. Make sure that a clear mandate for the management of the process is given to an organization or an individual. The managing unit power and responsibilities must be transparent for working processes to be effective. Resources for the resource intensive processes have to be ensured with a long term perspective. Cooperative processes need to have a clear and efficient structure and have to be integrated in the larger decision context to ensure the policy relevance.

Actions should be integrated into existing policies, structures and processes with the potential for modifications when and if necessary. Existing instruments have to be reassessed and considered with regard to both positive and negative climate change impacts. Integration of climate change impacts and measures is not restricted to the environmental sector or the public authorities, but includes behavioral, technological, infrastructural, informational, organizational, ecosystem-based and socio-economic measures at all levels. Integration needs to be both sectoral and cross-sectoral.

Due to the existence of uncertainties and the broad variety of options in terms of measures, care must be taken to avoid mal-adaptation by finding synergies and conflicts between mitigation and adaptation measures before implementation of agreements and action plans. Avoid trade-offs between mitigation and adaptation, as well as actions that use resources unsustainably by preparing a detailed assessment of different options to clarify impacts and actions in the long-term.


Further to Plan and implement.