Accelerating Adaptation Action at COP 29: Progress on Formulating and Implementing NAPs

Since the launch of the process to formulate and implement National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) at COP 16, countries have made significant progress, but challenges and gaps remain. Gathering governments, UN agencies, and technical assistance partners, this event sought to share progress, lessons learned, and pathways to meet the Global Stocktake’s (GST) call for all Parties to both put NAPs in place by 2025 and make progress in implementing them by 2030. The event  was moderated by Orville Grey, Head, NAP Global Network Secretariat.

In welcoming remarks, Yalchin Rafiyev, COP 29 Lead Negotiator, stressed adaptation is “no longer optional,” and we are “lagging behind” due to insufficient political will. He congratulated the NAP Global Network for its role as a “catalyst” of action on NAPs, which, he underscored, are not just planning tools but also useful exercises for countries to better understand their vulnerabilities. Stressing the COP 29 Presidency’s commitment to adaptation, he said Azerbaijan submitted its NAP to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2024.

Daniele Violetti, UNFCCC, emphasized that: inaction on adaptation is costly; the adaptation gap is growing and will continue to do so; and greater funding for the preparation and implementation of NAPs is needed. “Adaptation is an investment,” he stressed, which “no one will ever regret.”

Noting NAPs are key vehicles to achieve inclusive adaptation at scale, which is essential for “protecting ecosystems, costs and livelihoods,” Grey said 60 have been submitted to the UNFCCC so far. More support, he added, will be necessary to answer the GST’s call for all governments to submit NAPs by 2025.

Sue Biniaz, Principal Deputy Special Envoy, US, said NAPs are a “central vehicle” for adaptation, noting their significance from their formal establishment 2010 under the Cancun Adaptation Framework to Article 7 of the Paris Agreement, and, most recently, under the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience, which integrates NAPs into the Global Goal on Adaptation. She reaffirmed the commitment of the US to support NAP development and implementation, highlighting funding for short-term technical assistance to six developing countries through the NAP Global Network.

Francesco Corvaro, Special Envoy for Climate Change, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy, said that, under Italy’s presidency, the G7 announced the creation of an Adaptation Accelerator Hub. He said a key pillar is collaboration with the NAP Global Network, to help bridge the gap between current implementation of adaptation and what is necessary to respond to climate impacts in vulnerable countries.

Representatives of various vulnerable countries then shared their experience with NAPs. Viliami Manu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests, Tonga, noted that the World Risk Index 2021 classified Tonga, a Small Island Developing State, as the third most at risk country to natural hazards and climate change, including extreme weather, floods, and cyclones. He stressed climate finance is key to the success of COP 29 and lauded New Zealand’s recent commitments to the Adaptation Fund.

Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawolo, Executive Director and CEO, Environmental Protection Agency, Liberia, highlighted local climate impacts, like landslides and village abandonment, emphasizing the need for adaptation. Liberia, he said, developed a NAP and a roadmap focusing on inclusivity, coastal resilience, and agricultural innovation. He stressed accountability and unity, urging collaboration to address global climate challenges affecting vulnerable communities.

Malcolm Stufkens, Vice-Minister of the Secretariat of Natural Resources and Environment, Honduras, highlighted that the country’s urgent climate challenges are exacerbated by tropical storms causing massive agricultural losses and debt. While adaptation is prioritized legally, he added, weak indicators in NAPs and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) hinder progress. He emphasized aligning plans, securing financial flows, and focusing on adaptation over mitigation for countries facing frequent extreme weather.

Achala Abeysinghe, Green Climate Fund (GCF), emphasized supporting NAPs, stressed that the GCF has “heard” the call from countries to simplify the process to access funding for adaptation, and pointed to new efforts to complete the approval of submitted proposals in nine months. Beyond such proposals, as part of the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme, she added, countries can access a USD 3 million fund to support their institutional capacities. She said GCF prioritizes vulnerable nations, balancing mitigation and adaptation funding, and seeks to enhance efficiency and transparency in addressing global climate challenges.

In closing, Grey called for sustained political will behind NAPs, urging governments to maintain momentum and advance adaptation plans to effectively address the impacts of climate change.  

Organizers: COP 29 Presidency, the US, and the NAP Global Network

Contact: Christian Ledwell I cledwell@iisd.ca

Website: https://napglobalnetwork.org/