INTRODUCING NATIONAL

ADAPTATION PLANS

Climate Action Network South Asia

Ram Kishan

February 25, 2015

Introduction

Despite the progress made by South Asia over the last quarter century, itremains home to four out of every 10 of the world’s poor; 600 million ofSouthAsia’s 1.5 billion people live on less than $1.25 per day;

Climate change is predicted to have severe consequences for South Asia,particularly in agriculture, which employs more than 60 per cent of theregion’s labor force;

Some of the predicted impacts of climate change include:

• increased variability in both monsoon and winter rainfall patterns; increase in average temperatures, with warmer winters;

• increased salinity in coastal areas as a result of rising seas and reduced discharge of major rivers;

• weakening ecosystems;

• the recession of glaciers in the Himalayas; and

• increased frequency and/or severity of extreme weather events (floods, cyclones, and droughts).

IntroductionAdaptation efforts in South Asia have so far been fragmented, lacking a strong

link between national climate change strategies, plans, and existing disaster

risk reduction, agricultural, and other relevant policies;

This disconnect partly stems from a lack of conceptual understanding and

partly due to the on-going debate as to what constitutes adaptation, and what

represents good and sustainable development;

The international community, through UNFCCC process, has approved the

preparation NAPAs by the Developing Countries;

Though the National Adaptation Plans of Action are meant to identify

immediate and urgent needs, they should be considered as a first step in a long-

term adaptation process and be fully integrated as part of any national

development strategy.

There is also a need to recognize the necessity of and between cross cutting

issues such as Ensuring food security and livelihoods; Securing the natural

fresh water systems of the Himalayas; Securing biodiversity and ensuring its

sustainable use; Ensuring energy security and enhancing alternative

technologies.

NAPA - Genesis• Article 4.9 of the Convention - The Parties shall take full

account of the specific needs and special situation of the LDCs in their actions with regard to funding and transfer of technology - no major decisions from COPs (1995 -2000)

• In 2001, COP 7 adopted a package of decisions on the specific needs of the LDCs.

a separate work programme for LDCs (decision 5/CP.7)

an LDC Fund (decisions 5 and 27/CP.7)

guidelines for NAPA preparation (decision 28/CP.7)

LDC Expert Group (LEG; decision 29/CP.7)

• 47 NAPAs prepared by July 2012

• LDCF – About USD 20 million for each LDC by May 2012 –towards programmatic approach

NAPA - GuidelinesNAPA should:

• be easy to understand

• be action-oriented and country-driven

• set clear priorities for urgent and immediate adaptation activities as identified by the country

• be prepared through participatory process, multi-disciplinary approach, and complementary approach (building upon existing plans and programmes ...)

• synthesise available information, conduct participatory assessment of climate vulnerability, identify key climate change adaptation measures, identify and prioritise country-driven criteria, develop proposals for priority activities, develop NAPA document, make public review and revision, and endorse by the government.

NAPA Prioritized Integrated Projects

1.Increasing community based adaptation through integrated management of agriculture, water, forests and biodiversity

2.Building Adaptive Capacity of Vulnerable Communities Through Climate Resilient Agricultural Development

3.Community Based Disaster Management for Facilitating Climate Adaptation

4.GLOF Monitoring and Disaster Risk Reduction

5.Forest and Ecosystem Management for Supporting Climate Led Adaptation Innovations

6.Adapting to Climate Challenges in Public Health

7.Ecosystem Management for Climate Adaptation

8.Empowering Vulnerable Communities through Sustainable Management of Water Resource and Clean Energy Supply

9.Promoting Climate Smart Urban Settlement

NAPAs to NAPs

NAPA

National Adaptation Plan

Addresses most urgent and immediate

adaptation needs

Addresses medium- and

long-term adaptation needs

Marrakesh to Copenhagen

Cancun and Durban

LEG mandate: Identify medium- and long-term adaptation needs, their integration into development planning and the implementation of identified adaptation activities

Cancun: Decides to hereby establish a process to enable LDC Parties to formulate and implement national adaptation plans, building upon their experience in preparing and implementing NAPAs, as a means of identifying medium- and long-term adaptation needs and developing and implementing strategies and programmes to address those needs

Decisions 5/CP17 – framing NAP, guidelines and modalities for LDCs, and financial arrangement for formulation and implementation

Initial Guidelines for NAPs

NAP Elements• Laying the groundwork and addressing gaps• Preparatory elements - identify specific needs, options and

priorities on a country-driven basis; design and develop plan; assess medium- and long-term adaptation needs, development needs and climate vulnerabilities; integrate adaptation into national and sectoral planning, conduct stakeholder consultation, communication, awareness and education

• Implementation strategies – prioritise and strengthen institutional and regulatory framework, capacity building …

• Reporting, monitoring and review – regular review to address inefficiencies, monitor and review efforts undertaken, and provide information in National Communication on progress and effectiveness of NAP process

NAP Stages and Steps

Stages Initial Guidelines (5/CP17) Steps

A. Lay the Groundwork & Address Gaps in Adaptation

A. (a) Identification and assessment of institutional arrangements, programmes, policies and capacities for overall coordination and leadership on adaptation

1. Initiate and launch the NAP process

Capacity A. (b) Assessment of available information on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation, measures taken to address climate change, and gaps and needs, at the national and regional levels

A. (c) Comprehensive, iterative assessments of development needs and climate vulnerabilities

2. Characterize data and information on capacities, climate risk and climate-resilient development

B. (d) Participatory stakeholder consultationsB. (e) Communication, awareness-raising and

educationB.(c) Activities aimed at integrating climate

change adaptation into national and sub-national development and sectoral planning

3. Build capacity for climate change adaptation

NAP Stages and Steps …

Stages Initial Guidelines (5/CP17) Steps

B. NAP Preparatory elements

B.(b) Assessment of medium- and long-term adaptation needs, and, as appropriate, development needs and climate vulnerabilities

4. Structure the problem: Assess climate vulnerabilities at the sector and decision unit level and identify adaptation options

B.(c) Activities aimed at integrating climate change adaptation into national and subnationaldevelopment and sectoral planning

B.(a) Design and development of plans, policies and programmes by considering decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 14(a), to address the gaps and needs

5. Appraise adaptation options

NAP Stages and Steps …

Stages Initial Guidelines (5/CP17) Steps

C. Implementation strategies

C. (a) Prioritizing work according to development needs and climate change vulnerability and risk

A. (c) Comprehensive, iterative assessments of development needs and climate vulnerabilities

B.(a) Design and development of plans, policies and programmes by considering decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 14(a), to address the gaps and needs

B.(c) Activities aimed at integrating climate change adaptation into national and subnationaldevelopment and sectoral planning

6. Prioritize climate change adaptation work at the national level

C. (e) Considering other relevant multilateral frameworks and international programmes and initiatives, with a view to building on and complementing existing adaptation planning

7. Develop national adaptation implementation strategy

C. (b) Strengthening institutional and regulatory frameworks to support adaptation

C. (c) Training and coordination at the sectoral and sub-national levels

8. Enhance long-term capacity for the NAP process

NAP Stages and Steps …Stages Initial Guidelines (5/CP17) Steps

D. Reporting Monitoring and Review

D.(a) To address inefficiencies, incorporating the results of new assessments and emerging science and reflect lessons learned from adaptation efforts

D.(b) To monitor and review the efforts undertaken, and provide information in their national communications on the progress made and the effectiveness of the national adaptation plan process

9. Regularly review of the NAP process

D.(b) To monitor and review the efforts undertaken, and provide information in their national communications on the progress made and the effectiveness of the national adaptation plan process

C.(d) Public dissemination of information on the national adaptation plan process, to be made available to the public and to the UNFCCC secretariat

10. Reporting

The NAP Process(to be further refined)

At the End,

• Use lessons learned during NAPA preparation and implementation in LDCs

• Identify/list sector-based adaptation actions/options – new or scale-up?

• What supports are needed to prepare and implement NAP?• Who takes the responsibility? Mandate and partnering?• NAP process is not a stand-alone programme or project• NAP provides multiple opportunities for integration and

internalisation of adaptation actions into planning process• NAP process should not delay or block NAPA implementation• Nepal's LAPA provides provision for integration, and in Nepal,

engage in NAP preparation from NAPA and LAPA experience • Climate adaptation – survival and development strategy