Policy guidance on integrating climate change adaptation into development co-operation

The issue of climate change seems remote when compared with problems such as poverty, disease and economic stagnation, yet the ability to successfully address these core development priorities risks being seriously undermined by climate change. How development occurs also has implications for climate change and the impacts it has on vulnerable societies.

This policy paper provides information and advice on how to mainstream climate change into development. It identifies appropriate approaches for integrating climate adaptation into development policies at national, sectoral and project levels, in urban and rural contexts. It also shows practical ways for donors to support developing country partners in their efforts to reduce their vulnerability to climate variability.

The guide indicates that the process of integrating climate change adaptation into local development faces several challenges, which include a lack of:

• awareness on the part of government authorities, educators and trainers represents a significant impediment to integrating climate change considerations at local decision-making levels
• climate change projections at a scale that is relevant to rural communities and capacity
• resources and technical knowledge in the area of climate change
• competing local priorities is also a challenge as climate change is competing with other development priorities such as HIV/AIDS, conflict and access to primary education.

Recommendations are noted for national governments, donors and international agencies.
To national govenments:

• collect and provide information for climate change adaptation by harnessing knowledge and experience at the local level
• allocate financial resources to climate-sensitive infrastructure, offering education and skills training and assistance with the transfer and uptake of appropriate technologies.
• provide social protection programmes in the form of social insurance, social assistance, and labour market regulations for vulnerable communities
• ensure a supportive policy and institutional framework.

To donors and international agencies:

• review sectoral priorities in light of climate change
• explore different options for channeling funds and engage stakeholders in building local adaptive capacity
• support decentralisation processes that transfer authority to elected local governments
• enhance local government capacity to take up the responsibilities afforded by decentralisation
• increase support to civil society organisations.