The world is confronting an incontrovertible truth: the effects of climate change are no longer a distant threat, but a reality requiring urgent action. From extreme weather events to water scarcity and agricultural disruption, the consequences are crystal clear. To ensure a sustainable and resilient future, countries must act now and integrate climate change adaptation into their national strategies. This is not just a matter of environmental responsibility — but a necessity for the economic stability and well-being of future generations and the planet.
Developing a National Adaptation Plan – a crucial step in addressing climate change
At the 16th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties in 2010, countries agreed to formulate and implement National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). This enabled Parties to formulate and implement NAPs to identify medium- and long-term adaptation needs and to develop and implement strategies and programmes to address these requisites. Parties were invited to apply the modalities formulated to support the NAPs.
In 2016, Kazakhstan ratified the Paris Agreement, which stipulates that global warming must be limited to below 1.5°C compared to the pre-industrial era, in addition to its efforts to mitigate climate change. The Agreement also states that each country should participate in climate change adaptation planning processes and further strengthen measures to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
In 2019, Kazakhstan started formulating its NAP process which involved extensive consultations at national and subnational levels. Recognizing that much of the adaptation action would be implemented at the subnational level, Kazakhstan developed the most effective approach to the NAP process – a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches.
In 2024, UNDP officially launched the NAP project with financial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). However, to be effective, the NAP must be more than a broad policy. It must focus on the key sectors and have an actionable strategy that reflects Kazakhstan’s unique vulnerabilities and priorities.