United Nations Climate Change
Best practices and lessons learned in addressing adaptation in least developed countries , vol. 2
Least Developed Countries
PART 2: Selected experiences of least developed countries in implementing national adaptation programmes of action and other adaptation initiatives
3.2
TEN BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
•
3.2.1 A LIGNING ADAPTATION PLANNING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THROUGH EFFECTIVE INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
• •
Best practice: Building on and integrating institutional structures for adaptation into existing national institutional arrangements can facilitate early success through the smooth integration of adaptation into ongoing national development planning and the effective use of resources.
• • •
Lessons learned: When climate change adaptation initiatives are conducted in isolation of on-going national planning and implementation activities, resources are wasted in creating institutional arrangements that duplicate existing functions. Given limited technical capacity in many LDCs, this leads to reliance on external consultants or to local brain drain, as people are hired away from existing functions to manage the new adaptation initiatives.
Many LDCs have indicated that the coordination of the adaptation work in their country is greatly improved when the institution acting as climate change focal point has a clear mandate. This allows for the mobilization of other relevant stakeholders, including the civil society to address climate change adaptation in a coherent manner. The experience of Vanuatu can be seen as a best practice, since the country has had a climate change coordination team since 1989, the National Advisory Committee on Climate Change. Its mandate is clearly defined in its terms of reference. It includes, among other responsibilities, ensuring the following:
•
Vanuatu’s climate change focal point is composed of a multidisciplinary team with membership from different government agencies, civil society and other relevant stakeholders which enable the establishment of a dialogue on linking climate change adaptation with broader development initiatives. Additional positive experiences reported by LDCs for mobilizing existing government institutions include the use of the offices with strong influence in national planning as a leader for coordinating and integrating climate change efforts and support to sectoral ministries and subnational authorities for integrating climate change adaptation into their planning processes. UNDP and UNEP are also encouraging the mobilization of such existing institutions.26
26
70
The provision of operational directives, taking decisions on issues arising from the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and any future plans for actions as decided by the COP, Promotion of policy development for an effective national response to climate change, Coordination of international climate change negotiations with the aim of ensuring consistency, relevancy and benefits for the country in participation, Dissemination of information to respective departments on climate change issues, Recognition and encouragement of development of human resources in relevant fields, Establishment and coordination of the work of the national group of experts, Ensuring enactment of appropriate climate change Acts and legislation, and facilitating access to funding for the national climate change efforts (source Vanuatu NAPA, p.19).
UNDP-UNEP.2011. Mainstreaming poverty-environment linkages into development planning: A handbook for Practionners: Pp 3