UN Climate Change News, 2 September 2025 - A new report by the Adaptation Committee highlights how developing countries are strengthening institutional arrangements and engaging stakeholders to advance national adaptation efforts.
The report draws on national reports from Parties and other sources, distilling lessons and good practices across the adaptation cycle - risk and vulnerability assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring and learning. It shows how inclusive governance and coordinated action are building resilience while ensuring adaptation measures are effective, equitable and sustainable.
This report follows Parties' decision to give special recognition to developing countries' adaptation efforts under the Paris Agreement. This is the latest report in a series of biennial synthesis reports mandated to showcase the achievements of developing countries on specific adaptation themes.
Since 2020, three reports have been published. The first report examined how developing countries are addressing climate-related hazards, highlighting integrated measures to address droughts, floods, cyclones and sea level rise, including ecosystem-based approaches, infrastructure investments, early warning systems and policy reforms. The analysis underscored the importance of integrating hazard management into broader development planning, and ensuring that measures address both current and future climate risks.
The second report, in 2022, examined efforts to assess and meet the costs of adaptation. It reviewed methods used to estimate adaptation needs, the scope and sources of reported costs, and the conditions needed to mobilize support. At the time of the analysis, 76 developing countries had reported quantitative cost estimates for adaptation, often linked to national climate plans (also known as nationally determined contributions) or national adaptation plans. The report also noted growing efforts to track domestic spending on adaptation, strengthen institutional capacity to access finance, and policy and legal frameworks to attract investment.
The latest report focuses on the governance and participation needed to turn plans and financing into effective action. It documents how governments are establishing legal and policy frameworks, dedicated institutions, and national coordination mechanisms to guide adaptation efforts. A defining feature across regions is meaningful stakeholder engagement, including of Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, civil society, academia and the private sector, which strengthens legitimacy, local relevance and long-term commitment.
Persistent barriers remain: limited access to finance, insufficient institutional capacity, difficulties sustaining stakeholder engagement, and in some cases, political instability, data gaps or shifting priorities. Overcoming these requires coordinated action, scaled-up support, and sustained investment in governance systems.
Together, the reports chart key elements of effective, sustained adaptation action: from tackling climate hazards to strengthening the institutional and participatory foundations. They highlight the leadership and innovation of developing countries and enrich the knowledge base that will inform the next global stocktake under the Paris Agreement.
The next synthesis report in this series will be released in 2026. The Adaptation Committee will consider its scope at its 28th meeting
