For policy-makers working on advancing their national climate change adaptation goals, having effective monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems in place is key.
For the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, in particular, having an effective MEL system is crucial for:
- Adaptive management: To review whether a policy, plan, or intervention is on track and adjust the course of action accordingly.
- Accountability: To report on the progress and results to stakeholders and government finance authorities.
- Learning: To develop knowledge on the evolution of the adaptation context, as well as the needs and experiences.
- Reporting: This is either expected or required by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), funders, and partners.
The NAP Global Network has invested in promoting good practices and facilitating exchanges between policy-makers in this nascent yet growing field of practice and has recently had the opportunity to organize a series of workshops to promote regional exchange on MEL practices in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.
This series took place from August 23 to September 13, 2022, and was organized as part of the Resilient Andes to Climate Change Regional Project (“Andes Resilientes”1), which aims to strengthen the resilience and capacity to adapt to climate change of rural Andean populations living in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru in situations of poverty and vulnerability. It provided a platform for government representatives and stakeholders from these three countries to share perspectives, experiences, and lessons learned on MEL for adaptation.
Through four tailor-made virtual training sessions, participants had the opportunity to learn from each other (for example, by highlighting good MEL practices in each country), strengthen their capacities on MEL for adaptation (with experts), and reflect on their own national contexts during breakout sessions.