This session looked at how the Global Goal on Adaptation indicators can work for national and local level monitoring systems.

The proposed list of 100 indicators under the GGA and the UAE-Belém work programme was published by the UNFCCC on 9 September.

Local and national actors are a key component for implementation, and will be vital to understanding adaptation progress and outcomes. 

But global climate accountability systems often overlook local mechanisms. 

Tran Thanh Nga, Head, Adaptation Division, Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, highlighted the current  disconnect between indicators and local resources: 

"Current indicators often require specialised expertise and data that sub-national teams don't have access to. This creates an unnecessary barrier to measuring and demonstrating adaptation success." 
 

Annette McGill

Here is a brief selection of some of the thoughts shared during this plenary.

Madyan Pariyar, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Nepal:  

"The government at the local, provincial and federal levels is testing LLA projects. There are extensive opportunities to combat climate change in communities through LLA.

"Nepal aims to be a world-leader: climate-smart technologies have been developed by communities, local non-state actors and government. Action by non-state actors is imperative.

"Non-state actor representation is extremely important in global dialogues to bring voices of the communities to global level.

Suranjana Gupta, Senior Advisor, Huairou Commission:
"A few things that struck me: one, which is extremely encouraging, is the ways in which very established institutions are changing systems, have actually developed and are working with these new mechanisms for finance for locally led adaptation. 

"And they are responsive to the voices of people impacted by climate change. They're walking the talk.

"This is supposed to be a big COP on just transitions, so we are being shown the direction we should be moving to, despite many institutions being in hostile environments that are resistant to change.

Sostina Takure, Regional Programme Officer, DanChurchAid and ACT Alliance, Zimbabwe:
"This is not just a sub-Saharan subject and position, we're all saying the same thing... There is agreement on what we need to do and what we're doing wrong, that shared vision, understanding and journey going forward. We really put communities at the centre of it all. This is not just the men in suits in their motorcades, this is about the men and women in the community.

"Climate finance is not about charity, it's about taking accountability and responsibility. Take responsibility for your past actions."

Nfamara K Dampha, Program Director & Lead Scientist, University of Minnesota:
"Locally led is critical from a design perspective. There are mechanisms through which this can be promoted at the national level. Livelihoods and lives depend on natural capital, so taking stock with the communities who live around those resources is essential."

Marcia Toledo, Director Adaptation & Resilience, High-Level Climate Champions Team:
"Do you ask what should be the priority for COP?  Finance for adaptation, for sure. 

"There is a massive opportunity, from the points that we've just heard, to identify opportunities to make NAPs investible, to better leverage subnational finance, philanthropy and finance.

"The sense of momentum and grassroots, indicating that there is a recognition: adaptation is happening every day, and it needs to scale. We need to think about quantity but also quality in terms of progress."

Annette McGill