29 July 2019: The NAP Global Network has published a brief examining country perspectives on alignment of national-level policy processes under the Paris Agreement on climate change as a basis for broader alignment towards climate-resilient development.

The brief titled, ‘Alignment to Advance Climate-resilient Development: Country Perspectives on Alignment of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),’ is based on country perspectives gathered during a Peer Learning Summit with 16 countries (Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, Uganda and Viet Nam) in October 2018, as well as two national workshops in Grenada and Peru that explored alignment of NDCs and NAP processes in detail.

Alignment of the NDCs and NAPs under the Paris Agreement, the brief argues, may represent a “feasible” starting point in many countries and a “strong foundation” for alignment with other agendas. Highlighting the complementary and mutually supportive nature of NDCs and NAPs, the brief notes that NDCs provide “high-level direction and principles” for climate action, while NAP processes “elaborate adaptation options and strategies for implementation.”

The brief outlines challenges faced by countries in aligning their NDCs and NAP processes as well as opportunities for increasing coherence, efficiency and effectiveness. It notes that many countries wish to increase the alignment between their NDCs and NAP processes, and are able to identify key actions to achieve this, which include using the NAP process to: inform the development of future NDCs; improve the quality of adaptation-related information; and add value and enhance countries’ adaptation goals.

This is the third in a series of NAP Global Network briefs on aligning national policies and implementation efforts under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), which aims to increase understanding of alignment at the country level. The first brief introduced the concept of alignment and explored the varying degrees of it. The second brief identified the ways in which countries can initiate alignment by defining objectives, identifying entry points and putting in place enabling factors.

The NAP Network secretariat is hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). [Publication: Alignment to Advance Climate-resilient Development: Country Perspectives on Alignment of the NAP Process and NDCs] [Publication Landing Page]