UNEP assists countries all over the world in their efforts to create National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). The NAP process seeks to identify medium- and long-term adaptation needs, informed by the latest climate science. Once major vulnerabilities to climate change have been identified, the NAP process develops strategies to address them.
The NAP approach was established under the Cancun Adaptation Framework (CAF) and re-emphasized in the Paris Agreement. Crucially, NAPs follow a continuous iterative process that is country-driven, participatory and transparent.
The two overarching objectives of NAPs are to:
- Reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change by building adaptive capacity and resilience;
- Facilitate the integration of climate change adaptation, in a coherent manner, into relevant new and existing policies, programmes and activities, in particular development planning processes and strategies, within all relevant sectors and at different levels, as appropriate.
Countries can utilize the NAP process and its outcomes to update and improve the adaptation elements of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), a central part of the Paris Agreement.
UNEP & National Adaptation Plans
There are three avenues through which UNEP supports the development of NAPs:
The National Adaptation Plan Global Support Programme (NAP-GSP) – This project, funded by the Global Environment Facility, was run jointly with UNDP between 2013 and 2021 and provided support to over 45 countries. For more information, visit the website.
One-on-one Country Support Programmes – UNEP has more than 23 ongoing projects where one-on-one support is provided to countries to advance their NAPs. These NAP projects are funded by either the Green Climate Fund (GCF) or the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Knowledge Sharing - UNEP generates a wide range of science, analyses and knowledge sharing events to support countries in their efforts to build climate resilience. For example, UNEP published its Guidelines For Integrating Ecosystem-based Adaptation into National Adaptation Plans, which has now been transformed into an online course. For more climate adaptation resources, visit us here.
To understand more about the key lessons and expertise emerging from this collection of NAP projects, you can read UNEP's recent policy brief, titled National Adaptation Planning: Emerging Lessons Learned from UNEP Projects.
Disclaimer: The inclusion of non-UN events on this map does not imply full endorsement or participation by UNEP, UN-Habitat or other UN agencies.
Press Releases
São Tomé and Príncipe develops National Adaptation Plan for climate change
Pakistan to develop National Adaptation Plan for climate change
Iraq launches National Adaptation Plan process for climate change resilience
'COVID-19 is a wake-up call': Ghana to develop national plan for climate adaptation
Dominican Republic develops National Adaptation Plan
Nepal holds landmark national consultation to advance its National Adaptation Plan
Costa Rica moves forward in the process to implement its National Adaptation Plan
Launching the NAP process in Mauritania
Mongolia achieves a milestone in National Adaptation Planning
The Gambia: Integrating climate change risks into planning and finance
Interview with government of Bangladesh on the country’s NAP process
Launch event for the NAP process in Malawi
African LDCs gather to focus on NAPs
Launching the NAP process in Comoros
Burkina Faso: Leading on NAP formulation to adapt and prepare
The Republic of Guinea initiates its National Adaptation Plan process
DRC launches National Adaptation Plan project to boost resilience, supported by GCF, UNDP
Nepal and UNEP launch GCF-NAP project
