The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling Article 4, paragraphs 4 and 9, and other relevant Articles of the Convention,
Also recalling decisions 11/CP.1, 27/CP.7, 1/CP.16, 2/CP.17, 3/CP.17 and 5/CP.17,
Further recalling the initial guidelines for the formulation of national adaptation plans by the least developed country Parties, adopted by decision 5/CP.17,
Reaffirming that because of their development status, climate change risks magnify the development challenges for the least developed country Parties,
Recalling that national adaptation plans are a process to enable the least developed country Parties to formulate and implement national adaptation plans, building upon their experience in preparing and implementing national adaptation programmes of action, as a means of identifying medium- and long-term adaptation needs and developing and implementing strategies and programmes to address those needs, and that other developing country Parties were invited to employ the modalities formulated to support national adaptation plans in the elaboration of their planning effort,
Underlining that planning for adaptation at the national level is a continuous, progressive and iterative process, the implementation of which should be based on nationally identified priorities, including those reflected in the relevant national documents, plans and strategies, and coordinated with national sustainable development objectives, plans, policies and programmes,
Encouraging the Adaptation Committee, in accordance with its agreed functions, to continue its work in developing the relevant modalities for supporting interested developing countries that are not least developed country Parties to plan, prioritize and implement their national adaptation planning measures, including through the use of the modalities contained in decision 5/CP.17, Reaffirming the importance of the need to address adaptation planning in the broader context of sustainable development planning,
Underlining that the national adaptation plan process should build on and complement existing adaptation planning, should not be prescriptive and should facilitate country-driven, gender-sensitive, participatory action, taking into consideration vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems,
Appreciating the contributions made by developed country Parties to the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund to date,
Recognizing that the Green Climate Fund will support developing countries in pursuing project-based and programmatic approaches in accordance with climate change strategies and plans, such as national adaptation programmes of action, national adaptation plans and other related activities,
Also recognizing the important role of the Convention in catalysing support for the least developed country Parties to undertake the national adaptation plan process, noting the range of activities and programmes, both under and outside of the Convention, which contribute to, and enhance, the national adaptation plan process,
Recalling its request to the Subsidiary Body for Implementation to consider guidance on policies and programmes to enable support for the national adaptation plan process for the least developed country Parties, at its thirty-sixth session, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth session, Welcoming the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change compilation of case studies on national adaptation planning processes,3 and the report on the twenty-second meeting of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group,
1. Decides to provide the following guidance to the Global Environment Facility, as the operating entity of the financial mechanism of the Convention for the operation of the Least Developed Countries Fund, to enable activities for the preparation of the national adaptation plan process by the least developed country Parties. The operating entity is requested:
(a) As a first step under the national adaptation plan process, to provide funding from the Least Developed Countries Fund, to meet the agreed full cost, as appropriate, of activities to enable the preparation of the national adaptation plan process as described in the elements contained in paragraphs 2–6 of the initial guidelines for the formulation of national adaptation plans in the annex to decision 5/CP.17;
(b) To provide support for the national adaptation plan process, while maintaining support for the least developed countries work programme, including national adaptation programmes of action;
(c) To encourage a flexible approach that enables the least developed country Parties to access funding for components of the national adaptation plan process as identified by the least developed country Parties in response to national needs and circumstances;
2. Requests the operating entity referred to in paragraph 1 above to include in its report to the Conference of the Parties information on the steps it has undertaken to implement the provisions of this decision;
3. Urges developed country Parties to mobilize financial support for the national adaptation plan process for interested developing country Parties that are not least developed country Parties through bilateral and multilateral channels, including through the Special Climate Change Fund, in accordance with decision 1/CP.16, as it urged developed country Parties to mobilize financial support for the national adaptation plan process for least developed country Parties in decision 5/CP.17, paragraph 21;
4. Requests the Global Environment Facility, as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the Convention, through the Special Climate Change Fund, to consider how to enable activities for the preparation of the national adaptation plan process for interested developing country Parties that are not least developed country Parties, as it requested the Global Environment Facility, through the Least Developed Countries Fund, to consider how to enable activities for the preparation of the national adaptation plan process for the least developed country Parties in decision 5/CP.17, paragraph 22;
5. Invites developed country Parties to further contribute to the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund to support the activities for the preparation of the national adaptation plan process in accordance with decision 1/CP.16, including paragraph 18, and other relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties;
6. Also invites the operating entities of the financial mechanism of the Convention, bilateral and multilateral agencies and other relevant organizations, as appropriate, to take this decision into account when providing financial and technical support to developing country Parties in responding to decision 5/CP.17;
7. Further invites Parties and relevant organizations to continue to assist the least developed country Parties, drawing upon the work of, and where appropriate in consultation with, the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, in building national institutional arrangements and capacities, and to support scientific and technical capacity needs, as identified by the least developed country Parties, for undertaking the national adaptation plan process;
8. Invites United Nations organizations, specialized agencies and other relevant organizations, as well as bilateral and multilateral agencies, to support the national adaptation plan process in the least developed country Parties and, where possible, to consider establishing or enhancing support programmes for the national adaptation plan process within their mandates, as appropriate, which could facilitate financial and technical support to the least developed country Parties, drawing upon the work of, and where appropriate in consultation with, the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, and to keep the Subsidiary Body for Implementation informed, through the secretariat, on how they have responded to this invitation;
9. Also invites Parties and relevant organizations to share best practices and lessons learned in addressing adaptation, through the ongoing work of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change, and other bodies and ongoing work under the Convention;
10. Reiterates the request to the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the Adaptation Committee and other relevant bodies under the Convention to include information in their reports on how they have responded to the requests made in this decision and on their activities relevant to the national adaptation plan process, as per their respective mandates, and to make recommendations accordingly;
11. Decides to assess the progress made in implementing this decision, and to consider the adoption of further guidance, as appropriate, at its twentieth session.
