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The document defines biocultural community protocols as participatory instruments used by Indigenous and local communities to document their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes. These protocols aim to bridge the gap between community worldviews and external actors—such as governments and companies—to prevent resource exploitation and ensure the respect of customary stewardship. The toolkit outlines a four-part process: understanding the community, documenting the protocol, using it for engagement, and reflecting on outcomes. It provides a wide array of participatory tools, including community sketch maps, trend line analysis, and participatory theatre, to empower communities through legal awareness and social mobilization.

The document identifies a critical gap between national-level policy frameworks for climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) and their implementation at the community level in the Greater Mekong Subregion. It argues that while GMS countries have foundational laws and policies, these are often siloed, lacking consistent standards and decentralized finance. The report advocates for scaling up successful community-led models, improving the accessibility of climate finance for local actors, and integrating DRR and CCA into a single, cohesive approach to better serve vulnerable populations, including women and ethnic minorities.

The document examines the limitations of narrow definitions of community-based adaptation (CBA), asserting that local efforts cannot succeed in isolation. It highlights that communities are not homogenous entities and that the success of adaptation depends on 'enabling conditions' provided by external institutions and policies. The author argues that because vulnerability is driven by a complex mosaic of assets and social dynamics, adaptation must be circumstance-specific rather than based on universal templates.

The document outlines the evolution of the weADAPT platform, detailing how the Stockholm Environment Institute overcame barriers to knowledge-sharing through technical redesigns, relationship-building, and a distributed management model. It emphasizes that successful knowledge platforms require active content management, face-to-face user engagement, and a focus on supporting decision-making rather than just providing information.

The paper addresses the lack of systematic tracking for locally led adaptation (LLA) finance, providing governments with metrics to measure both the amount of funding reaching the local level and the extent to which it supports local agency in decision-making. It suggests three primary implementation categories: budget tagging, expenditure review, and integration with existing policy or planning processes. These tools are intended to improve transparency, accountability, and resource mobilization to ensure investments meet the needs of those most affected by climate change.

The paper argues that while women are central to agriculture and climate adaptation in Africa, they are often excluded from decision-making and resources due to sociocultural norms and policy gaps. It proposes seven enabling factors—ranging from flexible finance and resource control to confronting restrictive norms—to move beyond simple participation toward gender-transformative locally led adaptation (LLA). The authors recommend that funders provide patient, flexible funding of at least five years and invest in long-term relationships with women-led organizations to foster structural social change and climate resilience.

The paper analyzes over 70 evaluation materials and 374 projects to assess the prevalence and effectiveness of locally led climate adaptation. It finds that while many projects involve local actors, very few grant them actual decision-making power over finance and design. The authors identify key enablers of success, such as flexible funding and investment in local institutional capacity, while highlighting barriers like low funder accountability and insufficient direct funding to the local level. The document argues for a shift from treating local actors as beneficiaries to treating them as agents of change through devolved finance and iterative program design.

The paper examines 21 examples of locally led adaptation (LLA) across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Caribbean and Latin America to provide strategies for financing and implementing resilience efforts. It argues that LLA redresses power imbalances by prioritizing the agency of local organizations and Indigenous peoples, who are often best positioned to identify adaptation solutions. The document recommends that funders and governments increase the volume and flexibility of climate finance, integrate social equity into standard processes, and shift governance to center local priorities.

The paper advocates for transforming traditional monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) into a locally led process to better support climate adaptation. It emphasizes the need to balance power asymmetries, prioritize local knowledge, and ensure that MEL creates value for local actors rather than serving only upward accountability to donors. The author provides a framework of considerations—such as addressing structural inequalities and prioritizing learning—and recommends specific operational steps for funders and practitioners to increase local agency and effectiveness in adaptation interventions.

The paper argues that local governments are underutilized actors in locally led adaptation (LLA) and demonstrates how the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) supports them through performance-based grants and capacity building. Using case studies from Niger, Lesotho, and Cambodia, the text shows that while local governments can effectively bridge the gap between national policy and community action, they may also reflect exclusionary power dynamics that require broader engagement with non-state actors to ensure inclusivity.

The document defines Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) as the devolution of authority and resources to local actors—particularly marginalized groups—to give them agency over the design and delivery of climate adaptation. It highlights a significant funding gap, noting that less than 10% of global climate fund finance reached local levels between 2006-2016. To address this, the document promotes the 8 LLA Principles, launched at the 2021 Climate Adaptation Summit, and calls for 25% of climate finance to be dedicated to LLA, potentially increasing toward the LDC Group's target of 70% by 2030. It emphasizes the necessity of grant-based finance for public goods and low-income communities to build the resilience required to attract larger private investments.

The document outlines the achievements of the Global Commission on Adaptation, specifically the role of the World Resources Institute (WRI) in co-managing the initiative. It highlights the 'Adapt Now' report, which argues that climate adaptation is a human, environmental, and economic imperative, with benefit-cost ratios for investments ranging from 2:1 to 10:1. The report details a 'Year of Action' that mobilized over 170 partners across tracks including finance, agriculture, resilient cities, and nature-based solutions. Key outcomes include the mobilization of $790 million for small-scale food producers, the creation of the 'Principles for Locally Led Adaptation', and the launch of the '1,000 Cities Adapt Now' program. The document concludes by calling for scaled-up climate finance for developing countries and the integration of climate risks into national budgetary and policy decisions.

The fact sheet highlights the critical role of natural springs in the upper Umzimvubu catchment of the Eastern Cape, where they serve as a vital safety net for approximately 1.2 million people. It advocates for a community-driven spring protection model to mitigate water scarcity, health risks, and climate impacts. The document details a specific initiative in Matatiele that used a hydro-census to identify 330 springs, leading to the protection of 18 sites and the eventual completion of 45 springs, providing safe drinking water to approximately 40,000 rural dwellers.