Engaging the Education Sector in the National Adaptation Plan Process

The document outlines how education ministries can engage across the four phases of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process: impact, vulnerability, and risk assessment (IVRA); planning; implementation; and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). It emphasizes the heightened vulnerability of children to climate-related learning disruptions and argues that the NAP process is a critical mechanism to elevate education priorities, secure climate finance, and align sectoral plans with national commitments. The guide provides specific strategies for data collection via Education Management Information Systems (EMIS), the use of innovative financial instruments, and the mainstreaming of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI). A case study of Saint Lucia illustrates the successful development of a Sector Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (SASAP) through participatory, multi-stakeholder engagement.

• Climate change significantly disrupts education globally, with 242 million children experiencing education disruption due to climate-related events in 2024, primarily in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
• The NAP process consists of four iterative and overlapping phases: Impact, Vulnerability, and Risk Assessment (IVRA); Planning; Implementation; and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL).
• During the IVRA phase, education ministries should leverage Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) to integrate climate-related indicators, such as school infrastructure characteristics and exposure to hazards, to create a scalable analysis of climate risks.
• Effective adaptation planning must move beyond curriculum initiatives to a comprehensive approach covering education infrastructure, educational continuity management, and teaching and learning, while mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion (GESI).
• Accessing public climate finance, such as grants from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), requires strong climate evidence and alignment with a national plan, making the inclusion of education in the NAP a necessary step for resource mobilization.
• A diverse mix of financial instruments is recommended for the education sector, including grants for readiness, concessional loans for long-term infrastructure, and innovative tools like thematic bonds, debt-for-climate-resilience swaps, and parametric insurance.
• The monitoring and evaluation (MEL) phase should use gender- and age-responsive indicators and qualitative analysis to track the success of adaptation measures, particularly for marginalized students, and to avoid maladaptation.
• Saint Lucia successfully integrated education into its NAP process by developing a 10-year Sector Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (SASAP) through a core group in the Ministry of Education and participatory consultations with youth, parents, and CSOs.

APA

Merryweather, J., Regmi, P., & Murphy, D. (2026). Engaging the Education Sector in the National Adaptation Plan Process. NAP Global Network. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/napgn-en-2026-education-sector-nap-process-guidance.pdf

Chicago

Merryweather, Jennifer, Pallab Regmi, and Deborah Murphy. Engaging the Education Sector in the National Adaptation Plan Process. NAP Global Network, 2026. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/napgn-en-2026-education-sector-nap-process-guidance.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Merryweather |first1=Jennifer |last2=Regmi |first2=Pallab |last3=Murphy |first3=Deborah |title=Engaging the Education Sector in the National Adaptation Plan Process |publisher=NAP Global Network |date=May 2026 |url=https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/napgn-en-2026-education-sector-nap-process-guidance.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{merryweather2026engaging, author = {Merryweather, Jennifer and Regmi, Pallab and Murphy, Deborah}, title = {{Engaging the Education Sector in the National Adaptation Plan Process}}, institution = {NAP Global Network}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/napgn-en-2026-education-sector-nap-process-guidance.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }