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important to develop adaptation strategies to address the effects of climate change. There are key
areas of action to be considered in the design of ICTs and climate change adaptation strategies,
including policy development and the establishment of adequate structures and processes. At the
sectoral level, sector‐specific strategies need to be developed to ensure sustainable development
in the face of climate variability and change.

ICTs therefore have a strategic role to play in ensuring the adaptability of other sectors. Furthermore,
the ICT sector itself is vulnerable to the effects of climate change and should strategically evolve to
adapt infrastructure to such changes. This can be done at several levels, from the international,
national, sectoral and community level, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 49 – ICTs and a framework for adaptation to climate change

The differences in strategic approach at various levels, and between the ICT sector and other sectors,
bring out a need for several adaptation approaches specific to the ICT sector and for countries to
use.
Climate change adaptation

This Recommendation proposes the development of the work in the following areas:
 Description of ITU‐T Recommendation L‐series on how ICTs can help countries to adapt to the
effects of climate change. This Recommendation provides an overview of how ICTs can help
countries to adapt to the effects of climate change. It will also provide a framework and a
checklist for countries to integrate ICTs into their national strategies for adaptation to climate
change. This Recommendation will be designed to assist countries in integrating ICTs into their
national climate change adaptation strategies. Recently, the effects of climate change seem to

ITU‐T's Technical Reports and Specifications 285