In a unique new report, a group of government officials from Asia and Africa have with CDKN support put forward an approach to mainstreaming which is based on the reality of what can be achieved.

In most cases it is external ‘experts’ which research and develop recommendations for how to improve the policy-making process. Those actually inside the process may be consulted, but are rarely the authors.

CDKN is pleased to announce that in a partnership between CDKN, IIED and a cohort of government officials from Asia and Africa, the voices from government are taking centre stage.

As part of a two-year initiative to strengthen the community of practice on community based adaptation (CBA), the government cohort has published a new report which puts forward a framework for mainstreaming climate resilience into development planning. It presents the concept of climate resilience mainstreaming and provides a practical instrument for government planners to think through the integration of climate-resilient responses into policy.

Past and present levels of greenhouse gas emissions have locked unavoidable climate change effects into the climate system for decades to come. Countries with climate-vulnerable and poor people need to find ways to achieve climate resilient societies and economies while addressing current increased climate variability and future climate change.

Government development planners from various countries in Asia and Africa have recognised this need. Between November 2011 and April 2013, they came together in a series of meetings and workshops to share their experiences in dealing with climate change and address the challenges climate change poses to social and economic development. During the process, they drew not only on their knowledge of climate change and experience of development planning practice, but also on what they have learnt about mainstreaming other cross-sectoral issues such as HIV/AIDS, gender and environmental change.

This paper, a result of that collaboration, aims to identify progress and share countries’ learning. The development planners have applied their expertise and judgement to collate, systematise and reflect upon their experiences to date in their own countries, where they are addressing climate change through their planning processes.

Participants developed the climate mainstreaming building blocks framework outlined in this paper as a practical diagnostic for government officials to assess and plan the integration of climate resilience into their planning processes. During the workshops they identified a strong need for mainstreaming and streamlining climate resilience into development planning objectives, processes and systems.

Emerging trends within each building block indicate that countries are increasingly mainstreaming their integration efforts within existing development planning priorities and capacities. The building block framework helps governments to do this in a country-driven process that evolves from and is embedded in, existing development planning systems, capacity and priorities.

Download the full report to learn more

The authors of this paper include:

• Mousumi Pervin,Training, Knowledge Management and Communication Expert for the UN Development Programme and the Bangladesh government’s Poverty Environment and Climate Mainstreaming (PECM) project;
• Shahana Sultana, Senior Assistant Chief (Administration), Internal Resource Division, Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh;
• Am Phirum, Deputy Head, Agricultural Land Resources Management Department, General Directorate of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries and Member, National Climate Change Technical Team, Cambodia;
• Isatou F. Camara, Senior Economist, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, The Gambia;
• Vincent M. Nzau, Economist, Ministry of State for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030, Kenya;
• Vanhthone Phonnasane, Department of Disaster Management and Climate Change(DDMCC), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Lao P.D.R;
• Pasalath Khounsy: Science Research Management Section, Planning and Cooperation Division, National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute, Lao P.D.R

For more information on this report and partnership, contact elizabeth.gogoi@cdkn.org