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The report evaluates how countries incorporate nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation into their national adaptation plans, analyzing 57 documents to identify references to natural infrastructure, biodiversity risk assessments, and alignment with National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans.

The report examines GCF readiness proposals as of August 31, 2024, specifically focusing on the USD 3 million available to developing countries for national adaptation plans (NAPs). It assesses how these funds contribute to GCF outcomes and national capacity building, while seeking to identify financing gaps to meet the first global stocktake's goals of having planning processes in place by 2025 and implementation progress by 2030.

Peru is implementing a phased roadmap to establish a national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for climate adaptation, aligned with its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The system focuses on seven priority sectors—water, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, forests, health, tourism, and transport—and aims to be fully operational by 2030. The process is divided into four phases: Analysis, Design, Development, and Implementation. Significant progress was made between 2022 and 2023 in the design phase, including the creation of technical indicator sheets for the transport sector and the establishment of a baseline for loss and damage indicators.

Namibia is developing a sectoral MEL system for agriculture as a pilot for its broader National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process. The approach involved establishing indicator baselines in 2023, revising indicators for adaptation specificity in 2024, and conducting capacity building for national and regional stakeholders. The system relies on a data flow from regional extension officers to national ministries, with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) providing oversight and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) handling implementation and reporting. Key challenges identified include skills gaps, budgetary constraints, and data fragmentation, while the document emphasizes the necessity of mainstreaming gender-specific indicators to address systemic inequalities.

Peru is implementing a phased roadmap to establish a national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for climate change adaptation, aligned with its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The system focuses on seven priority sectors—water, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, forest, health, tourism, and transport—and aims to be fully operational by 2030. The process is divided into four phases: Analysis (completed), Design (underway), Development (underway), and Implementation (not started). Recent progress includes the creation of a final project design, interoperability proposals for data exchange with the National Environmental Information System, and the establishment of a baseline for loss and damage indicators.

This analysis of 108 GCF readiness proposals reveals that funding is primarily directed toward governance and institutional coordination (37.1%) and evidence-based planning (32%), with significantly less investment in private sector engagement (2.6%). While most countries use these grants to draft or update National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and develop investment pipelines, the report highlights a need for more national delivery partners and a stronger focus on domestic financing and concrete implementation steps, such as climate adaptation investment plans.

The report finds that while most NAPs recognize the importance of ecosystems and include EbA or NbS actions, there is a significant disconnect between climate adaptation planning and national biodiversity strategies. Most countries prioritize ecosystems linked to productive economic sectors, such as forests and fisheries, while urban and mountain ecosystems remain underrepresented.

The report finds a significant disconnect between sanitation and climate policy, with only 2% of activities in analyzed NDCs addressing sanitation. While some countries like Jordan, Bolivia, and Uganda show detailed integration, many national sanitation policies are outdated and ignore climate risks. The authors argue that integrating these frameworks can unlock climate finance, reduce greenhouse gas emissions (which currently account for approximately 1.3% of global totals), and enhance community and ecosystem resilience.

The document examines how the climate crisis and overfishing mutually exacerbate marine ecosystem degradation and how these factors disrupt global fisheries trade. It highlights that tropical developing regions are projected to suffer the most severe reductions in fish catches, while the Global North is better positioned to capture new economic opportunities. The author argues for a transition toward low-emission technologies, the removal of harmful subsidies, and the adoption of value-added processing and digital traceability to support developing countries in maintaining food security and economic stability.

The document argues that the biodiversity and climate change crises are interlinked and that aligning climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity strategies is essential for a holistic approach. It provides a practical checklist for policy-makers to enhance coherence, minimize risks, and ensure gender-responsive and socially inclusive actions across UNFCCC and CBD policy instruments during a critical two-year window for planning and implementation.

Costa Rica is addressing climate-driven water deficits in the Reventazón River basin by constructing farm-level water reservoirs. This initiative, part of the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2022–2026, aims to protect vegetable production and hydroelectric generation by improving irrigation efficiency and rainwater harvesting. The project emphasizes interinstitutional coordination and community participation, with plans to scale from a pilot to approximately 100 reservoirs over the next three years to secure livelihoods and national food security.

The proposal outlines a 48-month project implemented by the UNDP to establish a comprehensive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for India. It aims to address critical gaps in cross-sectoral coordination, climate risk data, and adaptation finance. Key activities include developing sectoral adaptation roadmaps for nine priority areas, creating a national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework, and establishing a web-based repository for vulnerability studies. A significant portion of the project focuses on the private sector, aiming to develop investment strategies and business cases to overcome the perception that adaptation is a "high-risk and low-gain" investment. The project will also develop two project concept notes to access further GCF funding and map existing adaptation finance flows in India.

The Thailand Country Programme (TCP) 2024 outlines a framework to align national climate strategies with GCF funding for the 2024-2027 programming cycle. Thailand aims for carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero emissions by 2065, with the energy sector identified as the largest GHG contributor. The programme identifies five priority areas: mitigation strategies and technologies, knowledge enhancement in agriculture and waste, advanced adaptive technologies, strengthening climate financing mechanisms, and awareness raising. To meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), Thailand estimates a need for THB 5,000 billion for unconditional targets and THB 7,000 billion for conditional targets. The TCP also details a readiness plan to strengthen National Designated Authority (NDA) capacity and accredit Direct Access Entities (DAEs) such as Kasikorn Bank and the Environment Fund.

The report details the implementation of Phase 2 of Rwanda's climate adaptation Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system. Following a pilot in the agriculture sector, this phase focused on tracking seven specific adaptation indicators from Rwanda's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)—four in human settlements and three in transport—to evaluate the effectiveness of adaptation initiatives and inform future strategies.

The document explores Debt-for-Climate Swaps (DFCS) as a tool to break the 'Climate Crisis-Sovereign Debt Doom Loop' in Emerging Markets and Low-Income Developing Countries. It details bilateral and multipartite DFCS structures, analyzing their advantages, costs, and the role of credit enhancements. The report proposes a quantitative model to identify suitable countries across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific, and outlines how the GCF can intervene through financial support, technical assistance, and stakeholder coordination.

The document advocates for the G20 to promote participatory processes in climate adaptation planning at the subnational level, particularly for water resource management in the Global South, to ensure long-term public commitment and inclusive governance.

The statement advocates for integrating Human Mobility due to Climate Change (HMCC)—including migration and planned relocation—into the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) via the UAE-Belem Work Programme. It argues that treating HMCC solely as a 'Loss and Damage' issue overlooks its potential as an adaptation strategy. The author suggests that HMCC should be integrated into the iterative adaptation cycle and sector-specific plans rather than as a standalone sector, leveraging the fact that over 85% of countries already include some form of HMCC in their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).

The document details a climate adaptation initiative in Costa Rica's Reventazón River basin, where changing precipitation patterns have created water deficits of up to 30%. To combat drought and ensure food security, the government and local partners are implementing the National Adaptation Plan (PNA) 2022–2026, specifically through the construction of water reservoirs on agricultural farms. These reservoirs allow farmers to maintain year-round production, optimize irrigation, and reduce agrochemical use. The project emphasizes inter-institutional coordination and community participation, with plans to scale the model to approximately 100 reservoirs over the next three years using public and international funding.

The document synthesizes international standards—including those from the IUCN, CBD, and FEBA—into a practical framework for nature-based solutions (NbS) for adaptation. It defines NbS for adaptation as actions that protect, restore, and manage ecosystems to strengthen the resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate change. The core of the brief is a set of eight good practices, which include conducting climate risk assessments, ensuring equitable distribution of benefits, prioritizing biodiversity health, and employing inclusive governance. Notably, the brief introduces a conflict-sensitive approach to minimize the risk of exacerbating tensions through adaptation actions.

The NAP Global Network Peer Learning Strategy establishes a framework for South-South knowledge exchange to enhance the development and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in developing countries. Moving away from one-off events, the strategy prioritizes sustained, continuous learning through four primary activity types: Peer Learning Forums, Peer Exchanges, Peer Learning Cohorts, and 1:1 Peer Learning Partnerships. The approach integrates technical, relational, reflexive, and experiential components, while emphasizing gender equality and social inclusion (GESI). The strategy also links peer learning with national-level action and knowledge generation to create a 'value chain' of support for adaptation practitioners.