The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process: Frequently Asked Questions

The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process is a strategic framework established in 2010 under the Cancun Adaptation Framework to help countries identify and address medium- and long-term climate adaptation priorities. Unlike the earlier National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) which focused on immediate needs, the NAP process aims to embed adaptation into standard development planning, budgeting, and decision-making. The process consists of three broad phases: planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). It is designed to be country-driven, gender-responsive, and multi-sectoral, ensuring that adaptation is not treated as a separate environmental issue but as an integral part of national development. The document highlights the NAP process's central role in meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, specifically Article 7 paragraph 9, and its synergy with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

• The NAP process is a strategic mechanism designed to move countries away from ad hoc, short-term project-based interventions toward a programmatic approach that integrates climate adaptation into national development planning, budgeting, and decision-making.
• Established in 2010 under the Cancun Adaptation Framework, the NAP process differs from the 2001 National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) in that NAPAs focused on "urgent and immediate adaptation needs," whereas the NAP process targets medium- and long-term needs.
• The NAP process is structured as a continuous cycle comprising three main phases: planning (assessing vulnerabilities and prioritizing options), implementation (securing finance and deploying resources), and monitoring and evaluation (tracking results and lessons).
• The NAP process is central to the Paris Agreement; Article 7 paragraph 9 is the only part of the adaptation article that obliges parties to engage in adaptation planning and implementation.
• Financial support for the formulation of NAPs is provided by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which allows developing countries to access up to USD 3 million through its Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme.
• An effective NAP process must be country-driven, gender-responsive, participatory, multi-sectoral, and iterative, incorporating both the best available science and traditional or Indigenous knowledge.
• The NAP process complements the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction by helping countries understand disaster risk and strengthen DRR governance through vulnerability assessments and institutional arrangements.
• As of November 2019, 120 developing countries had initiated NAP processes, with 32 countries securing GCF funding and 16 submitting NAP documents to NAP Central.

APA

Dekens, A. H. A. D. A. J. (2019). The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process: Frequently Asked Questions. NAP Global Network. https://napglobalnetwork.org/2019/12/the-national-adaptation-plan-nap-process-frequently-asked-questions/

Chicago

Dekens, Anne Hammill, Angie Dazé, and Julie. The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process: Frequently Asked Questions. NAP Global Network, 2019. https://napglobalnetwork.org/2019/12/the-national-adaptation-plan-nap-process-frequently-asked-questions/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dekens |first1=Anne Hammill, Angie Dazé, and Julie |title=The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process: Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=NAP Global Network |date=5 December 2019 |url=https://napglobalnetwork.org/2019/12/the-national-adaptation-plan-nap-process-frequently-asked-questions/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dekens2019national, author = {Dekens, Anne Hammill, Angie Dazé, and Julie}, title = {{The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process: Frequently Asked Questions}}, institution = {NAP Global Network}, year = {2019}, month = dec, url = {https://napglobalnetwork.org/2019/12/the-national-adaptation-plan-nap-process-frequently-asked-questions/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }