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The report evaluates the integration of gender perspectives in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) globally, noting a shift from viewing women solely as vulnerable groups to recognizing them as agents of change. It highlights improvements in the use of gender analysis, institutional coordination involving gender ministries, and the development of gender-specific capacities. Practical examples from countries like Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Suriname illustrate the application of visual storytelling, formal inter-ministerial agreements, and gender-disaggregated monitoring systems to ensure equitable climate resilience.

The report evaluates the integration of gender considerations in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) globally, noting an increase in the use of gender-responsive language, gender analysis, and the inclusion of gender ministries in institutional frameworks. It highlights specific progress in capacity building and monitoring and evaluation (M&E), while providing case studies from countries like the Central African Republic, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Marshall Islands, and Suriname to illustrate best practices in gender-responsive climate adaptation.

The report finds that while updated NDCs show increased ambition and better alignment with national planning, a massive gap remains between current commitments and the emissions reductions needed to limit warming to 1.5°C. Mitigation efforts have improved in scope and transparency, but many sectoral measures remain vague. Adaptation components are more prevalent in developing countries and show increased focus on equity and critical systems, though implementation details like timeframes and indicators are often missing. Climate finance requirements reported in NDCs total $4.282 trillion, highlighting a significant need for increased international support.

The proposal seeks USD 278,493 to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Tuvalu's capacity to implement climate policies and to create a 'National strategy for resilient recovery'. This strategy will identify risks and opportunities across sectors such as food security, fisheries, energy, and health, and will lead to the development of three priority project concept notes for submission to the Green Climate Fund. The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Finance and executed by the Climate Change Department, utilizing an expert group from various government ministries and consultants to ensure the recovery is aligned with Tuvalu's national climate goals and the Te Kete Sustainable Development Strategy 2021-2030.

The Cook Islands, a Small Island Developing State highly vulnerable to climate change and economic shocks, utilized GCF readiness support to overcome capacity gaps. Between 2016 and 2019, the country received four grants totaling USD 1.9 million to strengthen its National Designated Authority (NDA), accredit the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) as a Direct Access Entity, and develop a national country programme. These efforts aimed to improve the country's ability to design and implement transformative climate projects and access larger funding streams.

Nigeria's Adaptation Communication (AdCom) was developed through a participatory, gender-responsive process involving stakeholders from government, civil society, the private sector, and academia. The document aims to increase the visibility of adaptation relative to mitigation, provide input for the global stocktake, and assess progress toward the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). The preparation was supported by the NAP Global Network Secretariat and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), with funding from the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).

The guide argues that simplicity is essential for the longevity and feasibility of national-level monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems for climate adaptation, given resource constraints and the long timelines of climate impacts. It recommends that countries clarify objectives before data collection, integrate adaptation into existing national or sectoral systems rather than creating standalone ones, and use an incremental approach through piloting and progress reporting. The document emphasizes that MEL should ultimately serve as a storytelling process to communicate progress through evidence-based narratives.

The report details Kenya's progress in climate adaptation and mitigation from July 2019 to June 2020. Key achievements include the distribution of climate information services to over 2.5 million people, the accreditation of Kenya Commercial Bank with the Green Climate Fund, and the climate-proofing of over 3,000 km of roads. However, implementation was hindered by the Covid-19 pandemic, a desert locust invasion, and weak coordinating units at the county level. The document recommends ring-fencing climate finance and adopting a biennial reporting cycle to improve efficiency.

The proposal seeks USD 599,893 from the GCF to update Chile's 2014 National Adaptation Plan (NAP). It identifies critical gaps in the existing framework, including weak sub-national coordination, rudimentary monitoring systems, and a lack of financial strategies for adaptation measures. The project, implemented by the FAO, aims to strengthen institutional governance, develop specific vulnerability assessments for indigenous peoples and the tourism sector, and create a digital monitoring platform. It also focuses on catalyzing private sector engagement and establishing a financial plan and project portfolio to ensure the implementation of identified adaptation solutions.

The document outlines a 24-month, USD 813,548 project implemented by the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) to address gaps in Sri Lanka's climate finance readiness. Key objectives include establishing a Direct Access Accreditation Support Helpdesk to assist national banks in becoming GCF-accredited, creating a Climate-Smart Green Growth Strategy for lower watersheds and coastal regions, and developing three new GCF project concept notes. The project emphasizes Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as a primary entry point for building resilience against floods, droughts, and sea-level rise, while operationalizing a national climate risk data portal to improve stakeholder coordination.

The document describes Timor-Leste's use of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process to mainstream ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA). Timor-Leste communicated its first NAP to the UNFCCC on March 31, 2021, positioning EbA as a foundational element for climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and long-term prosperity.

Timor-Leste has utilized its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process to mainstream Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), treating it as one of 14 guiding principles to link environmental protection with climate action. The NAP, ratified in September 2020 and submitted to the UNFCCC in March 2021, identifies 107 adaptation action items across seven priority sectors and programs over a 10-year horizon (2020–2030). A key feature of the implementation is the use of Tarabandu, a traditional customary rule system, to engage local communities in EbA measures. The process emphasizes cross-sectoral coordination, gender-responsive analysis, and alignment with international frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework. The government aims to establish a national monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and learning (MERL) framework by 2022 to track progress in the biodiversity and ecosystems sector.

Timor-Leste's National Adaptation Plan (NAP), ratified in September 2020 and submitted to the UNFCCC in March 2021, establishes Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) as one of 14 guiding principles to link environmental protection with climate action. The process, led by the National Directorate for Climate Change (NDCC), utilizes a systems approach across seven priority sectors and five ecological zones. A key feature of the implementation is the use of Tarabandu, a traditional customary rule system, to engage local communities in EbA measures. The NAP aligns with the Strategic Development Plan 2011–2030 and international frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework. Future steps include the development of a monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and learning (MERL) framework and a comprehensive financing plan by 2022.

Timor-Leste has utilized its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process to mainstream Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), linking environmental protection with climate action. The NAP, ratified in September 2020 and submitted to the UNFCCC in March 2021, identifies EbA as one of 14 guiding principles to maximize co-benefits between adaptation and environmental protection. The process emphasizes a systemic approach across five ecological zones and integrates traditional customs, specifically Tarabandu, to ensure community-led implementation and social cohesion in a post-conflict context. The government aims to align these efforts with its Strategic Development Plan 2011–2030 and international frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework.

The document argues that Africa faces an existential crisis due to climate change, yet adaptation finance remains critically low compared to mitigation. It identifies barriers such as the perception of adaptation as a public good, lack of bankable proposals, and inadequate climate data. To address these, the brief recommends demonstrating the business case for adaptation to attract private capital, strengthening government technical capacity, introducing adaptation levies, and lobbying for a distinct international goal for adaptation finance.

The proposal outlines a 30-month project to address critical data gaps and institutional weaknesses in Belize's water sector. It focuses on developing a climate-responsive National Adaptation Plan, assessing groundwater resources in Northern Belize, strengthening hydrological monitoring and forecasting systems, and creating a financial sustainability plan to mobilize adaptation finance.

The proposal seeks USD 396,803 to address post-accreditation capacity gaps in the NRSP and update Pakistan's outdated 2017 GCF Country Programme to better align climate investments with current national priorities.

The document identifies three pathways for using trade to support climate adaptation: domestic trade policy measures to improve access to adaptation goods and services, the use of trade-related financing mechanisms like Aid for Trade, and international collaborative frameworks. It argues that National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes are critical for mapping these trade opportunities by identifying specific adaptation needs and financing gaps. To illustrate these links, the paper reviews NAP documents from Fiji, Kiribati, and Tonga.

The document establishes a direct link between gender-based development pillars—specifically secondary education for girls and access to modern contraception—and the capacity of vulnerable populations to adapt to climate change. It highlights that women in low- and middle-income countries face disproportionate climate impacts, which often trigger a cycle of early marriage and school dropout. The brief provides evidence that education reduces disaster vulnerability and that family planning improves maternal and child health, thereby increasing household resilience. It concludes that these strategies are largely absent from National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and calls for their integration into climate finance and policy frameworks.

The document identifies girls' education and family planning as critical, yet overlooked, long-term strategies for climate adaptation. It details how these interventions reduce vulnerability to natural disasters, improve agricultural productivity, and enhance overall community resilience. The authors call for these components to be formally included in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), supported by dedicated climate finance.