The AdaptaBrasil MCTI platform was named in Brazil's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) as a provider of information on national climate risk.

The document submitted by the Brazilian government was published on 11/3, on the website of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The NDC further informs that adaptation policies will be based on the best available science on climate change and national circumstances.

Data from the AdaptaBrasil platform is also contributing to ongoing discussions within the Technical Working Group to update the Climate Plan - Adaptation.

About AdaptaBrasil MCTI
The AdaptaBrasil platform was developed by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) together with the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) and the National Research Network (RNP) to consolidate and offer information that supports decisions on planning adaptation measures.

Work on building the platform began around ten years ago. The initial proposal to provide information on the impacts of climate change in different sectors was expanded with the aim of providing guidance to support decision-making on adaptation policies.

“All information is based on the most advanced and available science”, explains the director for Climate and Sustainability at MCTI, Osvaldo Moraes.

Platform updates are constant
Improvement work is ongoing, including updating data and incorporating new sectors. Recently, AdaptaBrasil MCTI incorporated new indices for the health sector related to the occurrence of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Visceral Leishmaniasis and Malaria, in addition to updating risk assessments caused by climate change in the energy sector.

Fundamental recognition
In the opinion of the scientific coordinator of the AdaptaBrasil MCTI platform and Inpe researcher, Jean Ometto, the fact that a Brazilian document submitted to an international organization mentions the initiative is an important recognition of the country's and MCTI's efforts towards the adaptation agenda.

“It is a recognition of the importance of science and the robustness of information, so that decisions can be made”, he assessed.

Ometto highlights the collaborative way in which the platform has been built, with the participation of institutions of excellence in their fields of activity, such as Embrapa, Fiocruz, COPPE/URFJ. “It has been built as a network with several institutions collaborating, with experts from different areas analyzing the indicators”, added the coordinator.

Data from AdaptaBrasil MCTI
The tool presents data cut down to the municipal level, that is, it allows obtaining information for all Brazilian municipalities. The available data covers sectors considered key, such as water resources, food and energy security, health, infrastructure (ports, railways and highways), geo-hydrological disasters. On the platform it is possible to visualize future scenarios.

According to experts, the climate change adaptation agenda has gained strength as mitigation efforts are no longer sufficient to contain global warming. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlights that, according to the NDCs announced until 2021 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, warming is likely to exceed 1.5°C during the 21st century and will make it more difficult to limit warming below 2°C.

Adaptation is a process that needs to consider the local reality and understand the factors to understand the climatic risks that determine pressure. AdaptaBrasil's effort involves establishing indicators to quantify this risk. The platform uses the methodology called 'risk flower', recommended by the IPCC, which is composed of climate threat, exposure and vulnerability (sensitivity and adaptive capacity).

Correction of the emissions target
The NDC also presents a correction to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target. Brazil commits to having an emissions limit of 1.32 GtCO2e - consistent with a reduction of 48.4% by 2025, and 1.32 GtCO2e - consistent with a reduction of 53.1% by 2030, compared to the year 2005. The data considers the last national inventory submitted to the UNFCCC as a parameter.

The decision to correct the Brazilian target was taken by the Interministerial Committee on Climate Change (CIM), made up of 18 ministries, last September. A resolution by the group determined that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communicate the correction to the UNFCCC.

The second Brazilian NDC should be submitted in 2025.