Paul V. DesankerTeam Leader, LDC Unit,UNFCCC Secretariat

Bonn, Germany

Adaptation Planning and Practice The NAPA Approach:Vulnerability Analysis and Prioritization

IFAD 2nd CLIMTRAIN Workshop, November 2008

Context for NAPA• NAPAs in broader Adaptation

– Practical approach to adaptation, not study or case study

– Original rationale for NAPAs was for a rapid response, win-win actions that would reinforce building capacity for coping with climate change, address obvious obstacles to achieving sustainable growth and development, etc

– Based on concept of addressing most limiting factors

– End-to-end solution: funds for preparation and then implementation, LEG to provide technical support

What you see in a NAPA

• Synthesis of key vulnerabilities• Adaptation needs, ranked based on

national criteria• Priority adaptation actions that form a

programme of action to address urgent needs

• A serious attempt at planning adaptation, ready for implementation

How did a country get there?

• Set up a multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral team to conduct rapid assessment

• Synthesized available knowledge on vulnerabilities to climate change

• Developed framework for adaptation taking into account national plans and policies

• Conducted consultations at multiple stages of the assessment, including in establishing criteria to guide ranking

• Identified key needs for adaptation• Ranked priorities based on agreed criteria• Identified adaptation actions to address the

key adaptation needs

V&A assessment• Adaptation defined as actions to minimize,

remove vulnerability• Vulnerability a function of 3 groups of

factors:– Exposure to climate change, changing

variability (interface between place and incoming climate through weather)

– Potential impact of climate change on system– Adaptive capacity/coping ability (social,

economic, human capital; the target system)

V&A assessment• National development policies and

priorities underpin sectors and regions targeted in NAPA

• Focus on vulnerable communities• Communities addressed in context of

broader scales – regional, national etc • National development priorities guide

selection of criteria for ranking

Survey of National plans for one country – Malawi example

MalawiYear

COP 7

97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

MDG reports 2003

PRSP/MGDSPRSP reports 2003 2005 2006

UNDAFUNDAF reports

CAS

LDC NPA

NCSA IR

NC 2002

TNA 2003

NAPA 2006

NAPA / PIFS 2007

2006-20112002-2004

2002-20061998-2001

2001-2010

1998-2001 2007-20102004-2006

Adaptation in Practice

• NAPA is a concrete approach to planning adaptation– Funding arrangements for prep and

implementation, plus support system– Participatory; rapid integrated assessment of

vulnerability and adaptation (PRIVA)– Ranking based on urgency; step in scaling up

adaptation over time, targets most vulnerable communities

– Integration: programmatic approach but project-based implementation

Adaptation in Practice• NAPA is a concrete approach to implementing adaptation– Prioritize based on urgency– Projects integrated into national

development plans and activities– Support system through LEG– Piloting of role of GEF – IAs – EAs in

implementing adaptation

Indicated costs of priority activities identified in NAPAs by country as of 30 October 2008

Indicated cost of priority activies in NAPAs

0

20000000

40000000

60000000

80000000

100000000

120000000

140000000

160000000

180000000

200000000

1

Sector

Cos

t (U

S$)

Cross sectoral

Food Security

Coastal/Marine Ecosystems

Early Warning & DisasterManagement

Education & Capacity Building

Energy

Health

Infrastructure

Insurance

Terrestrial Ecosystems

Tourism

Water Resources

Sector Cost (US$) Cross sectoral 53,004,460 Food Security 157,659,227 Coastal/Marine Ecosystems 151,126,580 Early Warning & Disaster Management 54,642,483 Education & Capacity Building 35,893,810 Energy 26,357,520 Health 32,993,000 Infrastructure 72,531,631 Insurance 225,000 Terrestrial Ecosystems 103,037,736 Tourism 1,250,000 Water Resources 181,865,842 Total cost 870,587,289

What are implementing agencies expected to do with a NAPA?• Help implement NAPA activities, taking into

account need for expedited procedures• Not repeat the assessment carried out by

countries, rather take next step of turning concept into actionable projects

• Engage NAPA teams fully – not get too attached to the written word: spirit of the priority activity versus semantics used

• Agencies should recognize limitations of LDCs in terms of capacity and investment climate

• GEF resources not adequate to fully implement NAPAs – need for a lot more

Observations and Lessons from NAPA on implementing Adaptation• Concept of addressing urgent and immediate

needs has broad appeal beyond LDCs, adaptation• Bottoms-up approach of NAPA has had multiple

benefits in countries– Helped engage all stakeholders.– Increased awareness and interest in climate change.– Spawned important role for CBA, local coping and

indigenous/local knowledge.– Provided concrete example of how adaptation can be

designed and implemented.– Reinforced importance of need for adaptation to be

grounded at the local level.– Important methodological advances: ranking, scaling,

integration, participatory approach.

Thank youpdesanker@unfccc.intTel: +49 228 815 1362

UNFCCC websitehttp://unfccc.int/ldc