The need to involve local communities in efforts to adapt to climate change – and benefits of doing so – is increasingly clear. This report’s primary intended audience is decision-makers involved in leading National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in developing countries, as part of the UNFCCC process. It should also be of interest to others working to meaningfully involve people with climate adaptation.
The report includes the following:
- a case for why effective public engagement on climate change matters, what this means for adaptation, and the role that the NAP process can play
- how NAP teams can approach public engagement on adaptation by making links to the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) agenda under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement
- key considerations for how to make public engagement inclusive and effective, including guidance on using impactful visuals
- case studies of public engagement on adaptation led by governments and NGOs in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Kenya, and Saint Lucia
- a summary of the report’s conclusions and recommendations for NAP teams on approaching public engagement with climate adaptation
The report was included in a list published on the first day of COP28 compiled by Yale Climate Communications of 12 recently released reports that track the world’s progress on climate.
The report was co-authored by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Climate Outreach, for the NAP Global Network. The NAP Global Network was created in 2014 at COP 20 to support developing countries in advancing their NAP processes, and help accelerate adaptation efforts around the world. Financial support for the Network has been provided by Austria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, the UK and the US. Its Secretariat is hosted by the IISD.