National Adaptation Plan
THE NATIONAL ADAPTATION PROCESS
Majority of Least Develop countries and other developing countries including the Philippines considered climate adaptation as primary approach and necessary component in development planning. The Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognized that national planning can aid countries in determining their vulnerabilities, mainstream climate change risks, and address adaptation.
Within the broader context of sustainable development planning, the UNFCCC established the national adaptation plan (NAP) process as a way to facilitate adaptation planning. Decision 5/CP.17, preamble paragraphs 4-6 agreed on the following objectives of NAP process:
- To reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, by building adaptive capacity and resilience;
- To facilitate the integration of climate change adaptation, in a coherent manner, into relevant new and existing policies, programmes and activities, in particular development planning processes and strategies, within all relevant sectors and at different levels, as appropriate.
The NAP process is an opportunity for countries to address their medium- and long-term adaptation needs, building on a country-driven, gender-sensitive, participatory, and fully transparent approach.
PHILIPPINE APPROACH TO NAP
The Philippines envisions the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) as our very own National Adaptation Plan focusing on four (4) thematic priority areas in addressing climate change adaptation response to food security, water sufficiency, ecosystem and environmental stability and human security. The phases of implementation under NCCAP is aligned with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), the country’s development framework that seeks to address poverty, create employment opportunities and achieve inclusive growth.