6 April 2018: Countries, organizations, international funds and other stakeholders shared information and exchanged experiences on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) during NAP Expo 2018, which sought to update stakeholders on the latest guidance on the technical and financial aspects to advance the formulation and implementation of NAPs.

The NAP Expo aimed to discuss country experiences, best practices, lessons learned, gaps and needs, and information on support provided and received in relation to the process to formulate and implement NAPs. It also offered a platform for countries to interact with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and others providing support for NAPs, as a means to improve access to financing for NAPs.

The event convened amidst alarm bells sounded by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who called for “a race to the top – with political will, innovation, financing and partnership” to counter “the most systemic threat to humankind” that is climate change. [Opening Remarks at Press Encounter on Climate Change by UN Secretary General António Guterres] [UNFCCC Press Release]

Since the Paris Agreement on climate change, NAPs have become the “implementation arm for adaptation” under NDCs.

The urgent need for adaptation action in light of the “relentless pace of climate change” is reflected in recent updates from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO confirmed the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season to be among the most destructive on record, with damage costs exceeding US$250 billion in the US alone, and March 2018 to be the third warmest on record. [WMO Press Release on 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season] [WMO Press Release on March 2018]

The main topics of NAP Expo 2018 were: systematic observations, monitoring and evaluation, and learning from experience from past climate shocks; assessing vulnerability and risk; designing implementation strategies while taking into account vertical and horizontal integration, and different pathways over time; and financial support for the formulation and implementation of NAPs.

Areas of adaptation addressed at the Expo included: climate information services (CIS), climate data and scenarios; monitoring and evaluation; linkages among adaptation, the SDGs and disaster risk reduction (DRR); consideration of gender in NAPs; lessons learned from the national adaptation programmes of action (NAPAs); long-term adaptation planning and transformation; adaptation in the agriculture sector; water crises and other climate shocks; adaptation in human settlements; and applying traditional and indigenous knowledge. Emerging topics such as big data and artificial intelligence were also discussed.

NAP Expo 2018 was the fifth consecutive NAP Expo, organized by the UNFCCC Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Expert Group (LEG) in collaboration with various organizations.

The NAP process was established under the Cancun Adaptation Framework (CAF) in 2010. Since the Paris Agreement on climate change, NAPs have become the “implementation arm for adaptation” under Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The process is supported by the LEG and though initiatives such as the NAP Global Support Programme (NAP-GSP) and the Integrating Agriculture in NAPs Programme (NAP-Ag). NAP-GSP is a joint programme by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP, or UN Environment) to assist developing countries to advance NAPs. NAP-Ag, carried out jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and UNDP, focuses on climate adaptation measures for the agricultural sector. [NAP Expo 2018] [NAP Expo 2018 Agenda] [NAP Expo 2018 UNFCCC Webpage] [UNFCCC NAP Expo 2018 Information Note] [UNDP Climate Change Adaptation Press Release on NAP Expo 2018] [UNDP Climate Change Adaptation Press Release on NAPs Support] [UNFCCC NAP Central]

At the Expo, the NAP Global Network Secretariat, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), presented its recently published synthesis report titled, ‘Towards Gender-Responsive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes: Progress and Recommendations for the Way Forward,’ which analyzes progress on integrating gender considerations in NAP processes. The report helps advance SDGs 13 (climate action) and 5 (gender equality). [Towards Gender-Responsive NAP Processes: Progress and Recommendations for the Way Forward] [NAP Global Network Resource Library] [NAP Global Network at NAP Expo 2018]

* * *
The SDG Knowledge Hub publishes regular adaptation and loss and damage updates that can be found under the tag Adaptation and Loss and Damage Update.