UN Climate Change News, 12 August 2025 - Over 450 participants from across the world are meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, for the NAP Expo 2025 (12-15 August 2025), the largest climate adaptation event in the United Nations climate change process.
The event - which aims to help strengthen National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) - comes at a crucial time, amid worsening climate impacts. In Zambia, a severe drought in recent years slashed agricultural production by half, while similar droughts, floods, heatwaves and wildfires are hitting food security, jobs, health and economic growth in every region.
Adaptation is at a crossroads between the incremental progress made so far, and the need to accelerate and scale up this vital area of climate action, and unleash its full potential to transform lives, communities and economies for the better.
"At this Expo, the international politics of adaptation will give way to what matters most: implementation, reducing vulnerabilities, saving lives. The NAP Expo's theme of innovation calls on us to harness technology, innovative sources of finance, new ways of planning, inclusive governance and community wisdom - all with a view to driving transformational adaptation and strengthening resilience and prosperity. Not just for the African continent, but for the world," said Youssef Nassef, Director of Adaptation at UN Climate Change, during the opening of the NAP Expo today in Lusaka.
"In Lusaka this week, we will aim to add to the momentum, and scale it up to another level. Each step brings us closer to the level of resilience that we seek. As we move forward, there is nothing better to keep in our mind than to be guided by the enduring Zambian spirit of solidarity, of hope, of collectivism and harmony. I would like to thank the Government and people of Zambia for agreeing to host this vital meeting, and for their gracious hospitality," he added.
Organized by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, this annual flagship event will drive innovation, partnerships and access to finance for the formulation and implementation of NAPs.
Minister Mike Mposha, Zambia's Minister of Green Economy and Environment, said today:
"Collaboration and partnerships are vital for implementing effective National Adaptation Plans. I thus urge all of you to work together to enhance the design and implementation of NAPs, which will in turn contribute to the attainment of the Global Goal on Adaption."
"I wish to appeal to the Global North, in the spirit of climate justice and equity, to provide adaptation financing to least developed countries due to the historical contributions to climate change. This would be responding to the new collective quantified goal on climate finance for developed countries to triple finance to developing countries - from the previous goal of 100 billion USD annually to 300 billion USD annually by 2035. To the financial mechanism under the convention and the multilateral development banks, I [urge] you to streamline and ease the conditions for least developed countries to access financing for the implementation of National Adaptation Plans," Minister Mposha said.
"Knowing the huge risks climate change poses to our development, Zambia has been proactive in planning for climate change adaptation... Our National Adaptation Plan identifies nine climate-vulnerable sectors, including water, agriculture, energy, health, infrastructure, fisheries and wildlife, and prioritizes sector-specific actions," Minister Mposha added.
Ana Toni, CEO of the COP30 climate change conference to be held this November in Belém, Brazil, said in a video message: "COP30 will serve as a turning point for adaptation, and NAPs must lead the way, building capacity and securing funding to strengthen our efforts. In Belém, adaptation must be elevated to the same level of importance as mitigation on the global agenda, especially as the impacts of climate change have already infiltrated our homes. Together, we have the power to implement meaningful change and safeguard our communities for a more resilient and sustainable future."
A Decade of Progress
Since its launch in 2013, the NAP Expo has become the leading global platform for advancing NAPs. This 10th edition celebrates a decade of learning and collaboration in climate change adaptation, highlighting innovations in the NAP process.
The Expo aims to foster meaningful interactions between country adaptation teams and a wide range of supporters - including the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility, the Adaptation Fund, and UN organizations, development partners, the private sector and academia - to boost access to financial and technical support for adaptation efforts.
What to Expect at NAP Expo 2025
Under the theme "Innovations in the Process", the NAP Expo 2025 will launch the updated technical guidelines for the NAP process, with various activities highlighting key concepts and innovations. Keynotes and session will cover:
- Unlocking NAP potential to drive the next generation of adaptation
- Regenerative futures and nature-based adaptation
- Indigenous leadership as Africa's climate compass
- Philanthropies' role in NAP implementation
- Financing resilient food systems
- African urgency and agency in aligning NAPs with Africa's Agenda 2063
Technical sessions will also explore mobilizing climate finance, AI tools for adaptation, nature-based solutions, coastal and ocean adaptation, gender-responsive and inclusive NAPs, youth leadership, human mobility, conflict-climate links, and more.
Visit the NAP Expo 2025 event page for the full programme, daily updates, and livestream links to plenary sessions and keynote addresses.
