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Opportunities to strengthen Africa’s efforts to track national-level climate adaptation

Author

Listed:
  • Andreea C. Nowak

    (Bioversity International
    Wageningen University and Research)

  • Lucy Njuguna

    (International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT))

  • Julian Ramirez-Villegas

    (Bioversity International
    Wageningen University and Research)

  • Pytrik Reidsma

    (Wageningen University and Research)

  • Krystal Crumpler

    (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)

  • Todd S. Rosenstock

    (Bioversity International)

Abstract

Tracking progress towards the Global Goal on Adaptation requires documentation of countries’ intentions, against which future progress can be measured. The extent to which existing national policy documents provide adequate baselines is unclear. We evaluated the adequacy of African Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) (N = 53) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) (N = 15) against three criteria—coverage, consistency and robustness—mapped to the adaptation cycle. Fifty-three percent of NAPs and 8% of NDCs cover all elements needed for providing sufficient baselines for tracking adaptation progress. Only 40% and 9% of the NAPs and NDCs, respectively, provide consistent links between climate risk assessment, planning, implementation and tracking. No document provided fully robust indicators to operationalize tracking. Notable efforts towards adequacy exist, especially in NAPs. The findings illustrate continental-scale advances and shortcomings for tracking progress, and emphasize opportunities in upcoming NDC revisions and NAP processes to enhance their coverage, consistency and robustness for future adaptation tracking.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreea C. Nowak & Lucy Njuguna & Julian Ramirez-Villegas & Pytrik Reidsma & Krystal Crumpler & Todd S. Rosenstock, 2024. "Opportunities to strengthen Africa’s efforts to track national-level climate adaptation," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 14(8), pages 876-882, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:14:y:2024:i:8:d:10.1038_s41558-024-02054-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-024-02054-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alexandra Lesnikowski & James Ford & Lea Berrang-Ford & Magda Barrera & Jody Heymann, 2015. "How are we adapting to climate change? A global assessment," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 277-293, February.
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