NDC-NAP Alignment

A number of global agendas share objectives to strengthen resilience to climate change disasters, creating a strong rational for alignment. Within countries, various policy processes have been established to outline individual commitments and strategies for meeting the objectives therein. These include strategies aimed at achieving the SDGs; National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement; and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies under the Sendai Framework. Alignment of these different processes can increase coherence, efficiency and effectiveness towards development outcomes that are resilient and sustainable.

For example, NDCs are the signature vehicle of the Paris Agreement, and although not mandatory, many countries are choosing to include information on adaptation in their NDC in addition to their mitigation commitments. At the same time, the NAP process provides a domestic planning process that can set out ‘how’ NDC adaptation goals are implemented. Seeking alignment of these two policy processes and applying expertise drawn from the NAP process and linking it with NDCs can accelerate enhanced adaptation action. While many countries recognize the value of aligning relevant processes; they may struggle to understand what it looks like in practice and how it can be achieved.

Read our first overview brief on introducing Alignment to Advance Climate-Resilient Development.