The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat has reported ‘significant progress’ in the number of developing countries formulating and implementing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
As of the end of September, some 144 countries had initiated the NAP process, while 67 developing countries have formally submitted their plans to the UNFCCC, including 23 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and 14 Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
These NAPs will serve as roadmaps for building climate resilience, aligning adaptation with national development goals, and directing investments in key areas such as water, food systems, health, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
‘Multilateral cooperation’
The findings ‘underscore how multilateral cooperation is accelerating the implementation of the Paris Agreement and bringing climate action closer to communities worldwide’, UNFCCC said.
It added that through the Green Climate Fund (GCF), 121 developing countries have received support for NAP formulation and implementation, with funding of €6.9 billion already approved for projects aligned with NAP priorities.
In addition, initiatives such as the NAP Global Network, UN4NAPs, and regional collaboration centres have enabled more than 100 countries to share technical knowledge and best practices.
Many governments are in turn aligning NAPs with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and transparency frameworks under the Paris Agreement.
Financial and technical support
UNFCCCs report also calls for the scaling up of financial and technical support to match growing national ambitions, particularly for LDCs and SIDS, which is expected to be on the agenda at COP30, taking place in Belém in November.
“Many countries still lack access to the funding that’s needed. Too often, they face complex approval processes, fragmented support, and overdependence on external expertise,” commented Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change executive secretary. “It’s clear from this report that the systems are increasingly ready, but the finance must flow – right now.” Read more here.
