Transboundary Climate Risks and the National Adaptation Planning Process

A review of 41 multisector NAP documents reveals that transboundary climate risks are sporadically mentioned and lack a systematic approach, with most references limited to shared ecosystems like river basins. The document argues that the dominance of place-based adaptation and state sovereignty norms hinder the integration of cross-border risks, and recommends leveraging intergovernmental organizations and territorial framing to improve regional collaboration.

• A review of 41 multisector NAP documents submitted to the UNFCCC by January 2023 shows that countries do not systematically identify or assess transboundary climate risks, with only South Sudan and Timor-Leste featuring dedicated sections on the topic.
• References to transboundary issues in NAP documents are primarily focused on shared ecosystems and natural resources, particularly transboundary waterways, river basins, and lakes.
• Coastal countries and Small Island Developing States frequently discuss ocean warming, acidification, and the resulting decline in fish stocks and coral reef degradation, yet they typically do not label these as transboundary risks.
• Several African NAPs, including those from Chad, Sudan, Central African Republic, Togo, and Niger, highlight the risks to cross-border pastoralism, noting that climate hazards can trigger regional impacts and increase pastoral-herder conflicts.
• While 25% of the reviewed NAP documents mention the migration of disease vectors across borders, none explicitly categorize these as transboundary climate risks or assess the impact of neighboring countries' health crises on their own systems.
• Conflict-affected countries such as South Sudan, Chad, and Benin identify climate change as a "threat multiplier" that can worsen security through the influx of refugees across borders.
• NAP documents rarely consider complex tele-connected risks, such as the climate vulnerability of trading partners, the impact on global supply chains, or the stability of overseas remittances.
• The lack of transboundary integration in NAPs is attributed to the prevalence of place-based adaptation approaches, the principle of state sovereignty, and the absence of a universally agreed-upon framework for assessing such risks.

APA

Terton, A., Qi, J., & Tadgell, A. (2023). Transboundary Climate Risks and the National Adaptation Planning Process. NAP Global Network. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/napgn-en-2023-transboundary-climate-risks-and-nap-processe.pdf

Chicago

Terton, Anika, Jeffrey Qi, and Anne Tadgell. Transboundary Climate Risks and the National Adaptation Planning Process. NAP Global Network, 2023. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/napgn-en-2023-transboundary-climate-risks-and-nap-processe.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Terton |first1=Anika |last2=Qi |first2=Jeffrey |last3=Tadgell |first3=Anne |title=Transboundary Climate Risks and the National Adaptation Planning Process |publisher=NAP Global Network |date=September 2023 |url=https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/napgn-en-2023-transboundary-climate-risks-and-nap-processe.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{terton2023transboundary, author = {Terton, Anika and Qi, Jeffrey and Tadgell, Anne}, title = {{Transboundary Climate Risks and the National Adaptation Planning Process}}, institution = {NAP Global Network}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/napgn-en-2023-transboundary-climate-risks-and-nap-processe.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }