National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process Strategic Planning .

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 2017National Adaptation Plan (NAP) ProcessStrategic Planning Workshop Report

Ethiopia is in the process of finalizing its NAP document (NAP-ETH) and is now looking towardsimplementation. As one step in the process of developing implementation strategies, the NAPGlobal Network in-country support program organized a workshop with key actors within theGovernment of Ethiopia, held on August 30, 2017 in Addis Ababa.The objectives of the workshop were to: Identify priority actions to support NAP implementation, focusing on the strategicpriorities. Enhance the capacity of key actors on vertical integration in the NAP process.Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and ClimateChange (MEFCC), as well as the ministries of industry; water, irrigation and energy; agricultureand natural resources; health; livestock and fisheries development; urban development andhousing and transport; as well as the National Planning Commission and the Disaster RiskManagement and Food Security Sector.The workshop was opened by Abiy Hailegebreal, Director of the Climate Change Planning andMainstreaming Directorate in MEFCC, who noted that the NAP document falls under theexisting Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy and provides a dedicated plan forclimate change adaptation, a critical step towards a climate-resilient economy.Fantahun Gezie, Senior Environment and Climate Change Officer in MEFCC, presented thestrategic priorities identified in the NAP document, namely:1. Mainstreaming climate change adaptation into development policies, plans and strategies.2. Building long-term capacities of institutional structures involved in NAP-ETH.3. Implementing effective and sustainable funding mechanisms.4. Advancing adaptation research and development in the area of climate changeadaptation.5. Improving the knowledge management system for NAP-ETH.The participants worked together to determine what is already in place for each of thesestrategic priorities and to identify priority next steps to move forward. The results of thesediscussions are presented in Table 1.2

Table 1: Moving forward on the strategic prioritiesStrategic priorityWhat is already in place?What are the priority next steps?Mainstreaming climatechange adaptation intodevelopment policies,plans and strategiesCRGE and associated climateresilient sectoral strategiesIncreasing the political will andcommitment at all stepsCRGE guidelines and checklistsAwareness creation and enhancingtechnical capacities on adaptationNational Adaptation Plan of Action(NAPA, 2007)Ethiopian Programme of Adaptationto Climate Change (EPACC, 2010)CRGE institutional arrangements(facility, steering committee,management committee, etc.)Lessons from mainstreamingprojects such as the Climate-SmartInitiative (CSI), Africa ClimateChange Resilience Alliance(ACCRA), etc.Building long-termcapacities of institutionalstructures involved inNAP-ETHCapacity building efforts underCRGECapacity within MEFCCAdjusting/strengthening institutionalarrangements to facilitatemainstreamingReviewing and updating relevantguidelines and checklists tointegrate adaptation and NAPprioritiesConsistent M&E and reportingsystemsEstablish/strengthen institutionalstructures for adaptation at all levelsandCreate strong integration among thesectors/stakeholdersNGO involvementCRGE units established in relevantsectorsDevelop human resources(awareness, knowledge, skills) downto community levelDevelop/strengthen the adaptationM&E systemImplementing effectiveand sustainable fundingmechanismsEfforts towards mainstreamingadaptation in government budgets(under CRGE, not yet for NAP)CRGE facility in place to trackclimate financeCommitment of multilateral andbilateral organizations to supportadaptation in Ethiopia (UNDP, WorldBank, GIZ, USAID, etc.)Designing a roadmap for resourcemobilizationHaving vibrant, bankable projectdocumentsAwareness raising amongcommunities, private sector anddevelopment organizations (NGOs,CSOs)Strategies already in place, such asfor private sector engagementCommunity contributions (labour,through PSNP)Advancing adaptationresearch anddevelopment in the areaInstitutions already engaged inadaptation research, including theClimate Research Centre at theEthiopian Development ResearchInstitute (EDRI), Ethiopian3Develop a comprehensive andholistic institutional research andcapacity building strategy

of climate changeadaptationEnvironment and Forest ResearchInstitute, the Climate Centre atAddis Ababa University and theEthiopian Panel on Climate Change(EPCC)Projects such as the SustainableLand Management (SLM) Projectand the African Adaptation Project(AAP), which incorporate a researchcomponentImproving theknowledge managementsystem for NAP-ETHCRGE systems (project registry,MRV system)Forest inventoryClimate-smart agriculture databasesWoreda risk profilesNational Meteorological Agency(NMA) prediction systemsMEFCC website and platforms(it was noted that many of thesesystems are not fully functional)Consolidate and communicate theadaptation research agenda anddisseminate it to relevantstakeholdersPrepare national adaptationresearch guidelineAlign adaptation research strategywith the international climate changeagendaStrengthening technical andinstitutional capacities for theexisting knowledge managementssystems (human resources,infrastructure, technology,commitment)Develop new systems to meet theparticular needs of the NAP processImproving institutional coordinationin generation and dissemination ofknowledge (vertical integration,horizontal integration, bringing inknowledge from outsidegovernment)Creating awareness and promotingavailable resources to increase thevalue placed on knowledge sharingImproving documentation ofactivities, results and lessonslearnedFollowing the lunch break, Angie Dazé from the NAP Global Network secretariat provided anoverview on vertical integration in the NAP process, focusing on why it is important and what itlooks like in practice. She noted that Ethiopia’s NAP document establishes a mandate forvertical integration by assigning responsibility for prioritization and implementation of adaptationoptions to Regional and Woreda Governments. Vertical integration is also critical for keyprinciples for the NAP document, including participation, stakeholder empowerment, gendersensitivity and equitable implementation.Participants discussed the opportunities and challenges for vertical integration in the Ethiopiancontext, as presented in Table 2. It was noted that communities must be involved inprioritization and planning, and that the planned regional workshops are only an initial step inrolling out the NAP at sub-national levels.4

Table 2: Opportunities and challenges for vertical integration in Ethiopia’s NAP processOpportunitiesChallengesInternational commitments to support developingcountries (technical, financial and materialsupport)Weaknesses in the institutional set-up (humanresources, finance, technology and experience)Capacity gaps on climate change adaptationPolitical commitment to addressing climatechange adaptation at the highest levels ofgovernmentAbsence of mechanisms for information sharingacross sectors at all levelsCoordination and communication challengesExisting governance structure (federal, regional,zonal, woredas), including representation ofMEFCC and (some) line ministries at sub-nationallevelsLack of integration across sectors at differentlevelsGovernance structures that provide regions withautonomyDecentralization of planning and decision-makingto sub-national authoritiesTurnover of staff at sub-national levelsAwareness created through CRGELimited awareness among communitiesOverarching policies and strategies in place,some mainstreaming has already occurredLack of uniformity in institutional arrangementsacross sectors and regionsFinancial constraintsLack of a strong M&E system that covers all levelsThe workshop was closed by Debasu Bayleyegn Eyasu, the Director General for ClimateChange Implementation Coordination in MEFCC, who emphasized that implementation of theNAP is the responsibility of the entire government, with MEFCC in a coordination role.5

Strategic Planning Workshop Report Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 2017. 2 Ethiopia is in the process of finalizing its NAP document (NAP-ETH) and is now looking towards . as well as the National Planning Commission and the Disaster Risk . Implementing effec