ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

TheAdaptationPolicyCycle:

FromPlanningtoImplementation

Asafederallyownedenterprise,GIZsupportstheGermanGovernmentinachievingitsobjectivesinthefieldofinternationalcooperationforsustainabledevelopment.

Publishedby

DeutscheGesellschaftfür

InternationaleZusammenarbeit(GIZ)GmbH

Registeredoffices

BonnandEschborn,Germany

Address

GIZOfficeEastAsia

TayuanDiplomaticOfficeBuilding2,16thfloor

14LiangmaheNanlu,ChaoyangDistrict

100600Beijing,PRChina

Email:climatechangechina@giz.de

FormoreinformationontheprojectandIKIinChinapleasereferto

ProjectDescription

ThisreportisanoutputoftheSino-GermanCooperationonClimateChange-NDCImplementationproject,abilateralinitiativebytheFederalMinistryfortheEnvironment,ClimateAction,NatureConservationandNuclearSafety(BMUKN)inpartnershipwiththeMinistryofEcologyandEnvironmentofthePeople’sRepublicofChina(MEE)carriedoutbytheDeutscheGesellschaftfürInternationaleZusammenarbeit(GIZ)GmbHtogetherwithChina’sNationalCentreforClimateChangeStrategyandInternationalCooperation(NCSC).

TheprojectisimplementedonbehalfoftheInternationalClimateInitiative(IKI)oftheFederalGovernmentofGermany.WithintheFederalGovernment,theIKIisanchoredintheBMUKN.SelectedindividualprojectsarealsotheresponsibilityoftheFederalForeignOffice(AA).

ProjectDirector

PaulRecknagel

Authors

WinnieKhaemba,Andrésángel,ZacharyZeller,RosanneMartyr(ClimateAnalytics)

Reviewers

MelaniaGuerra(ClimateAnalytics)

XingLianghui,JuliaBerndt(GIZ)

Design

BeijingZhuochuangDesignCo.Ltd.

Photocredits

Disclaimer

Thefindings,interpretationsandconclusionscontainedinthisreportsolelyrepresenttheviewsandopinionsoftheauthors.ThereportdoesnotreflecttheviewsandopinionsofGIZorBMUKN.

Beijing,December2025

ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

TableofContents

Foreword 1

ExecutiveSummary 2

1.Introduction 6

1.1ContextofAdaptationPolicy 6

1.2AdaptationAcrossPevels 7

2.AdaptationPolicyCycle 9

2.1Planning 9

2.1.1ThePolicyEnvironmentandCoordination 10

2.1.2StakeholderEngagement 11

2.1.3ImpactandRiskAssessment 12

2.2Implementation 13

2.2.1PrioritisationofMeasures,TimelinesandPlans 13

2.2.2Financing 14

2.3Monitoring,Evaluation,andLearning 17

3.DevelopinganAdaptationStrategy 21

3.1FromPoliciestoStrategies 21

3.2VerticalIntegration 21

3.3HorizontalIntegration 23

4.

CaseStudiesandGlobalBestPractices 26

4.1Community-basedadaptationinBangladesh 26

4.1.1NationalAdaptationProgrammeofAction(NAPA) 26

4.1.2Empoweringpopulationsandregions 26

4.1.3PilotingClimate-ResilientDevelopmentInitiatives 27

4.2MultileveladaptationintheEuropeanUnion 28

4.2.1EuropeanClimateRiskAssessment 28

4.2.2Top-DownCoordination 28

4.2.3Bottom-UpInitiatives 29

4.2.4EnablingFactors 29

5.PolicyRecommendations 32

5.1PolicyTranslation 32

5.2ValidityThroughTime 32

5.3IntegrationAcrossScales 33

5.4PublicInvolvement 33

5.5AdaptationIntegrationinDevelopmentPolicy 33

6.Conclusions 36

References 38

ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

1

Prof.Dr.MichielSchaeffer

ChiefScientist,Co-founder

ClimateAnalytics

ResearcherandLecturer

InternationalIslamic

UniversityofIndonesia

Foreword

Evenunderthemostambitiousglobalmitigationscenarios,currenttrajectoriesindicatethatglobalwarminglevelsmayovershootthe1.5°ClimitsetbytheParisAgreement,beforepotentiallyreturningtobelow1.5°Claterthiscentury.Warmingexceeding1.5°Csharplyincreasesthelikelihoodofbreachingclimatetippingpoints,suchasicesheetsorcoralreefcollapse,andsharplyexacerbateclimate-changedamagesinvulnerableregionsandincreasinglyinregionsconsideredlessvulnerable.Thegrowingandalreadyvisibleimpactsofclimatechangeunderscoretheurgentneedforrobustadaptationpoliciesthatbothaddresscurrentrisksandanticipatefutureones.Internationaleffortstoadvanceadaptationpolicyacrossgovernancelevelshaveprioritisedasystematicconsiderationofrisk,responseassessments,andstrongimplementationefforts.

Yet,theplanning,monitoring,implementingandevaluatingofeffectivepoliciesremainsacomplextask.Uncertaintiesinemissionspathways,evolvingclimateprojections,andarangeoftechnical,financial,andinstitutionalconstraintsmakeforward-lookingdecision-makingparticularlychallenging.Additionally,climateimpactsdiffermarkedlyacrossregions,andlimitsincommunityresourcesandinstitutionscanhinderthesuccessofevenwell-designedpolicies.Recognizingthis,successfuladaptationplanningmustintegratebothglobaluncertaintyandlocalrealities.

Thisreportpresentsaframeworkofguidingprinciplesandpracticalstepstosupportadaptationpolicymakingprocesses.Itframesadaptationasadynamic,iterativepolicycycle,withdistinctcomponents.Toillustratethepolicycycleinpractice,thereportprovidesreal-worldcasestudiesandexamplesofbestpractices.

Iwouldliketoexpressmygratitudetoallcontributorstothisreportandhopethattheseinsightsareusefultopractitionersworldwide,helpingthemdesign,implement,andrefineeffectiveadaptationpoliciesandplansfromthelocalandregionaltonationallevels.

ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

2

Foreword

XUHuaqing

ChiefScientist,

NationalCenterforClimate

ChangeStrategyand

InternationalCooperation

Policymakerstodayfacethedualchallengeofpromotingeconomicandsocialdevelopmentwhilepreparingforaclimatethatisalreadychanging.Adaptationisnolongeroptional–ithasbecomeanimportantprerequisiteforsafeguardingprosperity,stability,andwellbeing.Decisionstakennowwilldeterminenotonlyhowsocietieswithstandclimateshocks,butalsowhetherfuturegrowthisinclusiveandsustainable.

Thisguideisdesignedtosupportdecision-makersinadvancingeffectiveadaptationactions.Itpresentsadaptationasacomprehensivepolicycyclethatbeginswithriskandvulnerabilityassessments,followedbytheplanningofstrategiesandallocationofresources.Implementationthentranslatestheseplansintoconcretemeasuresacrosssectorssuchasinfrastructure,agriculture,health,finance,andurbanplanning.Monitoringandevaluationprovidethefeedbackneededtorefineapproachesandinformfutureaction.Theguidestressesthatadaptationmustbeparticipatoryandinclusive:policiesaremosteffectivewhentheyintegratetheknowledge,priorities,andcapacitiesofvulnerablegroupsandcommunities.

TheexperienceofChinaillustrateshowsuchapproachesareevolvinginpractice.Long-termstrategies,suchastheNationalClimateChangeAdaptationStrategy2035,providedirection,whilesectoralandlocalinitiativestranslatethenationalstrategyintospecificlocalactionplans.Emergingmonitoringandevaluationsystemsarebeginningtocreatefeedbackloopsthathelpdecision-makersfurtheradjustpoliciesinlinewithshiftingrisksandlocalrealities.

AspartofaseriesofClimateChangeAdaptationGuidesforPractitioners,thisreportbringstogetherinternationallessonsandpracticalinsightsforgovernments.Bycombiningscientificevidencewithlocalperspectives,andbyengagingcitizensalongsideinstitutions,adaptationcandeliversolutionsthatareresilient,equitable,anddurable.Inaneraofacceleratingclimatechange,thisreportprovidesavaluablereferenceforadvancingdevelopmentpathwaysthatprotectpeople,economies,andecosystems.

ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

3

ExecutiveSummary

PurposeandScope

TheintensifyingimpactsofclimatechangehighlightthecriticalimportanceofmeetingtheParisAgreementsgoaloflimitingwarmingtonomorethan1.5°Cabovepre-industriallevels.Evenunderthemostambitiousemissionsreductionsscenarios,itisincreasinglyevidentthatsomeirreversibleclimateimpactsareunavoidable.Thisrealitycallsforacomprehensive,dualstrategy,onethatprioritisesclimatemitigationwhileadvancingclimateadaptation.

Thisreportoffersguidanceontheplanning,implementationandevaluationofadaptationpolicies.Itisintendedforadaptationpractitioners,policymakersandstakeholders,particularlyatthelocallevel.Thisdocumentisintendedtocomplementapreviousreporttitled

ClimateAdaptationPlanningAnOverview

,providingamorein-depthapproachtothepolicymakingprocess.Bysynthesisinginternationalframeworks,bestpractices,supporttoolsandexternalresources,thisreportaimstoserveasapracticalstartingpointforcreatingadaptation-focusedpolicies.

Weexaminethecurrentstateofadaptationpolicymakingacrossdifferentlevelsofgovernance,frominternationalframeworksandnationalstrategiestosubnationalandlocalinitiatives.CentraltothisdiscussionistheParisAgreement,whose1.5°CtemperaturelimitandtheGlobalGoalonAdaptationprovidearobustinternationalframework.Theseglobalcommitmentsofferthepotentialtoimproveadaptationoutcomesbyreducingclimate-relatedrisksmoreefficientlyandatalowercost,whilealsoenhancingadaptivecapacity,strengtheningresilienceandreducingvulnerability.Recognizingthecriticalroleoflocalpoliciesinadvancingnationalstrategies(suchasdevelopmentblueprints)andinternationalgoalssuchasalignmentwiththeParisAgreementgoaloflimitingwarmingto1.50C,weprovideguidancethatcanbescaledupforgreaterimpact.

Toillustratetheseconcepts,thereportfeaturesreal-worldexamplesofadaptationpoliciesfromaroundtheworld.Whilewecautionagainstdirectlycopyingsuccessfulpolicieswithoutconsideringlocalcontexts,adherencetothepolicycyclecanensurelocaltranslationofsuccessfulpoliciesinagivencontext.

Finally,weintroduceexternaltoolsandframeworksthathelpquantifyoftenintangibleelementsofadaptationpolicymaking.Ouraimistoprovidepractical,actionalguidanceandbestpracticesthatbuildcapacityandimprovetheeffectivenessofadaptationstrategiesacrossgovernancelevels.

ThisreportonNaturalEnvironmentRisksandSolutionsispartofaseriesofthreeClimateChangeAdaptationGuidesforPractitionersthatcanbeaccessed

here

.

TheothertworeportsfocusonNaturalEnvironmentRisksandSolutions,aswellasUrbanEnvironmentRisksandSolutions.

ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

4

KeyFindings

Thefollowingtablesummarisesthemostsignificantinsightsthatemergedthisreport:

CycleComponent

MajorThemes

Takeaways

Planning

RiskAssessment

StakeholderEngagement

CaseStudies

Climateriskandvulnerabilityassessmentscansystematicallyquantifyrisksandexposepolicygaps

Adiversesetofstakeholderscanprovideimportantinsightintosectoralandcommunityneeds,andcontributetopolicysuccess

Existingpolicyexamplesandcasestudiescanprovideastartingpointforlocalpolicymaking

Implementation

ImplementationPlans

Cost-BenefitAnalysis

Financing

Implementationrequiresspecificandtangibleguidelinesontimeframes,enforcingactors,andresourcesrequired

Cost-benefitanalysiscanmakethefinancialcaseforadaptationandincreasebuy-in

Financialresourcescanbedeterminingfactorsinthesuccessofpolicies

Monitoring,

Evaluation&Learning

KeyPerformanceIndicators

DataandVerification

PolicyEvaluation

Dataprovidesquantitativesupportforpolicies

Data-informed,regular,andlong-termevaluationofpoliciesdetermineseffectiveness

Monitoring,evaluation&learninghighlighttheiterativeandsystematicprocessofthepolicycycle

Recommendations

VerticalIntegrationofpoliciesensuresthatadaptationisembeddedatlargerscaleswhileremainingappropriatelylocalised.Aligningprioritiesacrossmultiplelevelsofgovernancecanmutuallysupporttheoverallpolicymakingprocess.

HorizontalIntegrationofpoliciesacrossmultiplesectorscanhelptomainstreamadaptationeffortsacrosssociety.Oftenthereareco-benefitsandmutualintereststhatcanbeattainedthroughcross-sectoralcollaboration.However,thesepartnershipsneedtobedeliberatelyandcarefullyfacilitatedbypolicymakersandadaptationactors.

PolicyTranslationtomeettheneedsandconditionsoflocalcontextsisessential,asadaptationislargelyalocalprocess.Capacitybuildingandresourcescanhelptranslatepoliciesatthelocallevel.

ValiditythroughTimeiscriticalforeffectiveandefficientresponsetochanges.Assuch,adaptivegovernance,adaptationpathwaysandotherrelatedapproachesshouldbeincorporatedtoguaranteeflexibility,continuouslearningandupdatethatenablesvaliditythroughtime.

PublicInvolvementiscrucialtoensurethatpoliciesaresuccessfullyimplementedonalargescaleandhavesufficientbuy-in.Itisrecommendedtoconsultlocalstakeholdersandcommunitygroupstounderstandhowtheywillbeaffectedbyagivenpolicy.

Mainstreamingpoliciesintoexistingprocessesandmechanismsmakesadaptationamorenaturalandautomaticprocess.Findingeasyentrypointsforpolicyimplementationandembeddingtheminlong-term,ongoing,andlarge-scaleprocesseswillmakeadaptationmorefeasible.

Climate-ResilientDevelopmentutilisesclimateadaptationtoensurecontinuedandlong-termsocio-economicdevelopment.Often,principlesofadaptationanddevelopmentoverlap,allowingforstreamlinedpolicywithmultipleco-benefits.

1Introduction

ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners｜1Introduction

6

1Introduction

1.1ContextofAdaptationPolicy

Policieshavebeenlongidentifiedasakeyenablingandcatalysingfactorforclimateadaptation.Theyareimportantinensuringactionatdifferentlevelsbothwithinandoutsidegovernmentincludingforprivatesectoractorsamongothers(IPCC,2022).Theyareabletoprovidealegalframeworkforthedevelopmentandimplementationofclimateadaptationstrategies(IPCC,2022andIPCC,2023).

Internationalpoliciesarewideranging.Someimportantonesrelatedtoclimateadaptationinclude:theUNFCCCanditsParisAgreement,theConventiononBiologicalDiversity(CBD),theUnitedNationsConventiontoCombatDesertification(UNCCD),theSDGs,and(UNFCCC,2024)theSendaiFramework.TheUNFCCC’sParisAgreementinmandatingcountriestosubmittheirowndomesticcommitmentbasedontheirnationalcircumstancesenabledtheimplementationofasetofnationallevelpoliciestoimplementtheirNDCs(UNFCCC,2015).ThepoliciesdevelopedbycountriesarethebuildingblockstomeetingtheParisAgreementgoaloflimitingwarmingto1.50C.Infulfilmentoftheirinternationalobligations,countrieshavethusdevelopedNDCs,NAPs,climatelawsandotherpolicyinstrumentstosupportclimateadaptation(UNFCCC,2024).Theseincludelawsthatarelegallybindingatnationalandevenregionallevel,plansandstrategies,decrees,proclamationsetc.TheParisAgreementspecificallycallsforafocusonadaptationgiventhatcountries,especiallydevelopingcountries,arehighlyvulnerableanddisproportionatelyimpactedbyclimatechange(IPCC,2022).

Adaptationpolicyhasgainedtractionasaresultofincreasingclimaterisksandtheirimpactsonpeople,ecosystemsandthebuiltenvironment(IPCC,2022).Adaptationpolicyhasthusadoptedvariousapproachesinitsdesignandimplementation.Researchhighlightssomeoftheseapproachesincludinganincrementaladaptationapproach,mainstreamingofadaptationinpoliciesacrosssectorsaswellastransformationaladaptationpolicyapproachwhichcallsforstructuralchange.(Burtonetal.,2002;KhanandRoberts,2013;Vijetal.,2017;Rosensch?ld&Rozema,2019).

Researchinadaptationpolicyoftenaddressesemergingmethodsofvulnerabilityandriskassessments,whicharecriticalininformingstrategiesandpolicies(SovaandSchipper,2019).Thereisalsoemergingevidenceconsideringadaptationpoliciesthemselvesandtheireffectivenessaswellasthefinancingandenforcementofadaptationpolicy.Asaresult,thetopicofadaptationpolicycoversawiderangeofdomains,suchasscientificresearch,law,humanbehaviour,andpoliticalscience.

WithintheUNFCCC,intheimplementationoftheParisAgreementtherehasbeendebatearoundmetricsforclimateadaptationandongoingworkundertheglobalgoalonadaptation(UNFCCC,2015).Currenteffortsseektofurtherresearchmetricsandmonitoringinordertosupportadaptationpolicy.Thereisalsoemergingresearcharoundtheinclusionofkeyadaptationsolutionsinpolicysuchasecosystembasedadaptation,communitybasedadaptation,naturebasedsolutionsandtechnologicalsolutions(KhanandRoberts,2013;Cárcamoetal.,2014;IUCN,2020;Zhuetal.,2023).Emergingareasofadaptationpolicythathavebeenrecentlyhighlightedincludetransboundaryadaptationaswellasex-anteplanningforfutureadaptationbasedonvariousclimateprojections.

1Introduction｜ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

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1.2AdaptationAcrossLevels

Adaptationisahighlylocalprocessandmusttakeintoconsiderationgeographicaldifferences,on-the-groundconditions,andspecificcontext.Asaresult,thepracticeofadaptationisoftenimplementedatthelocalandsubnationallevel.Nevertheless,national-levelguidancehelpsrealisethisprocessbyprovidingmuchneededcoordinationoflocalefforts,facilitationofknowledgeandcapacity-buildingprocesses,andfinancingopportunities.

ReciprocallinkageoflocalandsubnationaladaptationeffortswithnationalgovernanceisoftenreflectedinNationalAdaptationPlan(NAP)developmentthroughaprocessknownasverticalintegration.Thisprocessisexplainedinmoredetailinthe‘Developingastrategy’sectionofthisdocument.

Theprocessofverticalintegrationcanalsomovebeyondnationallevelstoincludeguidancefrominternationalandsupranationalorganisations.Infact,theNAPprocessitselfwasestablishedbytheUNFCCC,whoprovideguidance,knowledge,andcoordinationofadaptationeffortsacrosscountries.Despiteprovidingtechnicalassistance,financingsupport,andgeneralguidance,theNAPprocessisintendedtobenon-prescriptiveandcountry-specific.

Nevertheless,localadaptationeffortsareintendedtobepuzzlepiecesinalargerprocessofglobaladaptationtoclimatechange.Ideally,theseeffortsmutuallysupporteachotherandminimisetrade-offs.Therefore,internationalguidanceandexistingframeworksonclimateadaptationprovideanessentialmechanismtoconnectlocalandnationalprocessestobiggerpicturegoalsandneeds.

PolicyCycle

2Adaptation

2AdaptationPolicyCycle｜ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

9

2AdaptationPolicyCycle

TheAdaptationPolicyCyclereferstoaprocessofcreatingpolicythatiseffectiveandrelevantforadaptation.Asthenamesuggests,adaptationpolicyiscyclicalanddynamic,requiringrobusteffortandcoordination.Therearevariouselementsinthecycle,buttheoverarchingonesinvolveplanning,implementationandmonitoring,evaluation,andlearning(MEL).Figure1outlinesthesethreeelementswhicharediscussedinfurtherdetailthroughoutthischapter.

Fig.1.OverarchingelementsoftheAdaptationPolicyCycle

Source:Authorsofthereport

2.1Planning

Planningisthefirststepinthepolicycycle.Thisstepinvolvestheintegrationofclimateriskdataandknowledge(usuallyproducedfromCRAs),withconsiderationofpotentialsolutions.Solutionscaninvolveadiverserangeofapproaches,policies,actions,ordevelopments.Adaptationplanningcanstrengthenexistingeffortsorintroducenewones.Specificsolutionsfordifferentsectorsandsettingscanbefoundinpreviousreports,suchasthesolutionssectioninourreportonnaturalecosystems,orurbanenvironments.

ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners｜2AdaptationPolicyCycle

10

Toolboxforpolicymakers

policycasestudies

Adaptationislocationandcontext-speci?c.Itisnotrecommendedtoreplicatepoliciesfromoneplacetoanotherwithoutprop-

erstakeholderconsultationandconsideration.Still,casestudiesofexistingpoliciescanprovideastartingpointforadaptation.

Itisrecommendedtoconsidersuccessfulcasestudiesforsimilarrisk,andlocalisethemforspeci?ccontexts.Databasesof

existingcasestudiesandexamplescanprovideausefulstartingpoint.

Source

Focus

UNFCCCAdaptationKnowledgePortal

Global

WeADAPTmapofcasestudies

Global

Climate-ADAPTCasestudyexplorer

Europe

C40CitiesCaseStudyLibrary

Global,urban-level

2.1.1ThePolicyEnvironmentandCoordination

Forthepolicyenvironment,themainaspectofimportanceisanunderstandingofthepoliciesthatexist.Thisenablesbetterplanningofnewpoliciesincludingwhetherreviewsandupdatesareimminentornewpoliciesarenecessary.Itisalsoimportanttounderstandwhatpoliciestheylinkto.Inmanycountries,environmentalpoliciesarelinkedtointernationalgovernanceregimessuchastheUNFCCC,CBDUNCCDamongothers.Atthelocallevel,policiesarelinkedtonationallevelframeworksincludingeconomicdevelopmentblueprints.Inthisprocessananalysiscanbeundertakentounderstandthescopeofexistingpolicies,theirstrengthsandwhatmaybemissingsoastoinformthenewpolicyortoreviewandupdateanexistingpolicy.Thiscanbeaccomplishedbylistingthekeyexistingpoliciesandhowtheyaddressclimateadaptation.

InBangladeshforexample,theBangladeshclimatepoliciesincludingtheNAParebasedontheBangladeshClimateChangeActof2010(GovernmentofBangladesh,2010).ThisalsoledtotheestablishmentoftheClimateChangeTrustfund(GovernmentofBangladesh,2022)aswellastheMujibClimateProsperityPlanof2030andthelocaladaptationplansofaction(LAPA’s)amongstothers.InGermany,thereistheClimateActunderwhichthenationaladaptationstrategyisanchored.

Coordinationisalsoacriticalelementattheplanningstage,whichnecessitatesworkingacrossministriesanddepartmentstobeabletoplan,developandfinalisetherelevantadaptationpolicy.Acoordinationstructurehastobeagreeduponattheverybeginning,includingwholeadstheprocessofdevelopingthepolicyandwholeadstheimplementationprocessandtheidentifiedstrategies.AnexampleisSouthAfricawhereNAPcoordinationwasledbyaninter-ministerialcommitteeonclimatechange,anintergovernmentalcommitteeonclimatechangeandthenationalcommitteeonclimatechange.TheNAPitselfisanchoredinSouthAfricaclimatelaw.(GovernmentofSouthAfrica,2021)

Coordinationforthedevelopmentaswellasimplementationofpolicyalsoinvolvessecuringbuy-inandpoliticalwillbothverticallyandhorizontally.AnexampleisSouthAfrica’s

PresidentialClimateCommission

headedbythepresidentandincludesministersaswellasrepresentativesfromdiversesectorsincludingtraditionalleaders,womenandyouthrepresentativeswhoarechargedwithleadingtheclimateagendainthecountry.Thiscommissionhasadhocworkinggroupsthatfocusondifferentissuesoneofwhichismonitoringprogresstowardstheachievementofadaptationgoals.

2AdaptationPolicyCycle｜ClimateChangeAdaptationGuideforPractitioners

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2.1.2StakeholderEngagement

Stakeholderengagementisanimportantcomponentoftheplanningprocess.Itcontributestohavingprocessesandpoliciesthatareinclusive,equitable,andwellsuitedtotackleclimaterisks(Howes,2018andIPCC,2022).Researchshowsthatinvolvingcommunitiesandotherstakeholderscanleadtomoresuccessfulimplementationofpoliciesandsustainability.Itcanalsoofferinsightsintostrategiesandindigenousgovernanceframeworksthatcommunitiesemploytoaddressclimaterisksthusnotonlyenrichingthepoliciesbutalsocontextualizingthem.Itcanalsoresultinmoreempoweredcommunitiesastheycontributetothepolicymakingandimplementationprocess(BurtonandMustelin,2013;Khatibietal.,2021).Stakeholderengagementcanalsopromoteownershipbeyondcommunitiesforexample,wheretheprivatesectorismotivatedorincentivisedtoco-developproductsthataddresscertainclimaterisksandcontributetosolutions.

Stakeholdersarewide-ranging,fromgovernmentministries,communities,civilsociety,researchandacademia,privatesector,youth,women,personswithdisabilities,andindigenousgroups.Stakeholderengagementencompassesstakeholdermappingtounderstandwhichsectorstheadaptationpolicyistargetedat,whowillimplementthepolicy,whereandhowitwillbeimplementedandwhowillbenefitfromthestrategiestobeimplementedamongotherkeyconsiderations.Thishelpsinidentifyingwhichstakeholdersneedtobeengaged(seetable1).

Table1.ExampleMatrixforstakeholdermapping.

Stakeholder

Stakeholder

type/group

Role

In?uence

Areasofengagement

Level

Indigenous

leaders

Community

Indigenous

knowledgeholders

providing

leadershipand

decisionmaking

Leadin

implementationof

initiatives;

Insightsonindigenous

practicesand

traditionalgovernance

Uptakeofplanned

climatestrategies

Local

University

Academia

Research

Knowledge

andevidence

generation

Research

e.g.onvulnerability,impact&risk

assessment

National

Businessowner

Private-sector

Industryinsight

Mainstream

adaptationin

businesspractices

Insightintoprivate

sectorpracticesand

needs

Local-to-

international

Source:Authorsofthereport

Oncethestakeholdersareidentifieditisimportantthatclearwaysofengagementwiththestakeholdersaredesigned,andthesemayvaryfromonestakeholdergrouptoanother.Inthisprocessitiscriticalthatthereisopencommunicationandfeedbackwithstakeholderstoensurethattheirinputisincludedfromtheonsetandthattheprocessisco-developedandimplementedwithstakeholders(Cárcamoetal.,2014b;Malloy&Ashcraft,2020;Juhola,S.etal.,2022;Suprayitnoetal.,2024).

Someprocessesthathavebeenfoundtobeusefulinstakeholderengagementincludeawarenessraisingtopromptparticipation,stakeholderforumsandroundtables,workshops,interviews,surveys,