Least Developed Countries Expert Group- 2012- NATIONAL ADAPTATION PLANS Technical guidelines for the national adaptation plan process

These technical guidelines have been developed by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG), with input and feedback from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and its agencies, and experts from other organizations,to support the NAP process, following a request by the COP. They offer a range of options for dealing with each element of the NAP process, and are

based on the guiding principles of the NAP process. The NAP process was established to build on the rich experiences

of the LDCs in addressing adaptation through the NAPAs, and through it, to address medium- and longterm adaptation. The process aims to assist LDCs to reduce their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, by building adaptive capacity and resilience, and by facilitating the integration of climate change adaptation into development planning.

The technical guidelines are not prescriptive, and countries can decide on the specific steps for their national process. They are

developed in a way that seeks to enhance the coherence of adaptation and development planning within countries, rather than duplicating efforts undertaken or underway. They are intended to facilitate country-owned, country-driven action, that seeks to harness and build upon national-level capacity, with support from various partners, as appropriate.

They are designed in a way that allows countries to monitor and review it on a regular basis, and update their NAPs in an iterative manner.

These technical guidelines will assist the LDCs in comprehensively addressing adaptation in a coherent and strategic manner. They will assist countries to develop clearly defined adaptation programmes that countryowned, country-driven, and that catalyze action beyond the implementation of adaptation projects.