MANILA, the Philippines — Building on the 2026 Climate Adaptation Investment Planning (CAIP) Forum, decision-makers from eight Asia–Pacific countries took part in a regional peer learning event on September 17 for a discussion focused on practical approaches for translating climate change adaptation priorities into sequenced investments, identifying appropriate funding and financing and moving adaptation plans toward implementation.
Co-hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the NAP Global Network, the peer learning event convened government representatives leading adaptation planning processes from Armenia, Fiji, Malaysia, Maldives, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nepal, the Philippines, and Viet Nam, providing a platform to support countries’ efforts to strengthen national responses to intensifying climate change impacts.
Following countries’ participation in ADB’s 3rd CAIP Forum on September 15 to 16, country representatives continued technical exchanges on accelerating the shift from adaptation planning to action in an effective and inclusive manner at the peer learning event.
They also shared practical insights and real-world lessons on strengthening adaptation investment planning that connects available financial sources and instruments based on priorities set out in national strategies, including national adaptation plan (NAP) processes—a key mechanism to put adaptation at the centre of decision making.
“Climate adaptation investment planning helps countries to identify and cost adaptation priorities for critical systems; make the “investment case” by articulating the benefits of adaptation, and identify reforms and opportunities that can unlock public, blended and private financing for such investments. Peer learning gives countries an opportunity to share practical approaches, strengthen the systems that connect plans with budgets and investment decisions, and identify the support needed to move priorities toward implementation.” Arghya Sinha Roy, ADB’s director.
Almost every country in the world has a NAP process underway to plan, finance, implement, and track progress, and learn on adaptation actions, building climate resilience to protect people, livelihoods, economies, and ecosystems. However, many developing countries still face challenges in translating adaptation plans into action, especially when it comes to accessing appropriate funding and financing and developing investment-ready adaptation projects.
Despite these challenges, recent global initiatives and frameworks show strategic approaches gaining ground to help countries mobilize public and private investments in adaptation, striving to bridge the adaptation financing gap. Most encourage countries to use adaptation priorities from NAPs and nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to help inform investment and financing decisions.
Country-led initiatives are raising countries’ ambitions, including those in Asia and the Pacific, to move from planning to implementing adaptation priorities through faster and sustained mobilization of public and private investments.
“In uncertain times, we believe good adaptation planning helps us decide, act, and adjust as conditions change,” said Anne Hammill, associate vice-president, Resilience at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which hosts the NAP Global Network Secretariat. “At this peer learning event, we look forward to learning from countries as we work together for the urgently needed shift from adaptation planning to implementation.”
This peer learning event was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and it is part of the NAP Global Network’s key activities to foster open and honest conversations about NAP processes.
At the international level, the NAP process was established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2010 to help countries identify and address their medium- and long-term priorities for adapting to climate change.
CONTACTS
- Evangeline Sucgang
CAIP Coordinator, ADB
caipteam@adb.org
- Adrián Estanol
Communication Officer, NAP Global Network
aestanol@iisd.ca
- Juliet Perry
Communication Manager, IISD
jperry@iisd.ca
About the NAP Global Network
The NAP Global Network was created in 2014 to support developing countries in advancing their NAP processes, and help accelerate adaptation efforts around the world. To achieve this, the Network facilitates South–South peer learning and exchange, supports national-level action on NAP formulation and implementation, and generates, synthesizes, and shares knowledge. The Network’s members include individual participants from more than 170 countries involved in NAP processes. Financial support for the Network has been provided by Austria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Additional support has been provided by the ClimateWorks Foundation. The Secretariat is hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development. For more information, visit www.napglobalnetwork.org.
NOTES TO EDITORS