Effective planning can help make development resilient to the impacts of climate change and help policy makers to identify opportunities to harness benefits from lowering emissions. In developing countries, such planning requires the support of international finance, technology transfer and capacity building mechanisms. Identifying national priorities for climate compatible development that combines adaptation and low emissions development, while meeting the requirements of international support frameworks, involves balancing upward and downward accountability.

This briefing, Planning climate compatible development: lessons from experience, examines lessons learned from different country-scale action planning under such dual accountability frameworks. It presents the following key messages:

• A key challenge for climate compatible development is how to balance external and domestic accountability in planning processes.
• Different types of country-scale action planning provide lessons on meeting external requirements while addressing country priorities.
• Multi-stakeholder engagement, effective communications, evidence-based planning, outcome-oriented monitoring and evaluation, and integrated planning can help deliver effective climate compatible development plans.