AMSTERDAM, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 – The Netherlands has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting climate change adaptation planning and action in developing countries.
The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network involves participants from over 50 countries, bringing together development partner agencies with adaptation planners from developing countries to enhance the NAP process and it implementation.
“We are very pleased to be joining this network of adaptation stakeholders taking action to prepare for vulnerable countries for climate change. The Netherlands has been committed to moving climate change adaptation forward around the world, and we look forward to learning from other thought leaders on the NAP process,” said Reina Buijs, Deputy Director General for International Cooperation.
“The Netherlands has been an international leader in supporting adaptation in developing countries, and we look forward to working with them to coordinate their support for NAPs with other donors through our growing network,” said Anne Hammill, Director of the NAP Global Network.
Netherlands will collaborate with donor agencies such as the United States and Germany—both of which provided initial funding for the NAP Global Network—as well a range of other new donors who have recently joined the Network including Canada, Austria, Australia, France and the European Commission.
Hammill continued, “By providing the opportunity for donors to coordinate their adaptation support for countries that include some of the world’s most vulnerable to climate change impacts, we can help focus this support so that it can go as far as possible to make these countries more climate-resilient.”
The NAP process was created by the United Nations as an opportunity for countries to plan for robust, sustainable development in the face of climate stress. Each country’s NAP is driven by its unique adaptation needs.
Netherlands’ joining the NAP Global Network takes place alongside it launching a Global Centre of Excellence on Climate Adaptation, which seeks to address the growing need for support among countries, institutions and businesses for dealing with climate change adaptation issues, such as natural disasters and economic disruptions.