This working paper seeks to offer practical guidance on how to put into operation the concepts outlined in the International Institute for Environment and Development’s (IIED) Climate Change Working Paper No. 1. It presents the Tracking Adaptation and Measuring Development (TAMD) twin-track framework, which aims to be versatile enough to be used at any scale and tailored to specific contexts. It differs from other assessment frameworks by emphasising the need to incorporate changing climate risks in the assessment of development interventions, so that effective interventions are not obscured by changing and increasing risk and vulnerability. Track one assesses climate risk management interventions, whilst track two concerns how these interventions influence development and adaptation outcomes through various processes. TAMD can evaluate interventions outputs, short-terms outcomes and long-term impacts within these two tracks, at scales ranging from supranational to the local level. In doing so, it explores how adaptation interventions both contribute to better climate risk management and help keep development outcomes on course in changing climate conditions. The paper discusses the necessity and methodology of baseline data, suggests measurement indicators and develops theories of change and causal narrative that can robustly attribute outcomes and long-term impacts to interventions. TAMD seeks to evaluate adaptation through:

using indicators of the extent and quality of climate risk management
assessing how climate risk management benefits vulnerable people using standard indicators to show whether development is ‘on track’
employing indicators to reveal systemic reductions in vulnerability, increased resilience and enhanced adaptive capacity.

It is suggested that the indicators outlined are partly illustrative; they will need to be adjusted toward different scales and contexts. There is also a need for further exploration on the question of attribution and the construction of baselines. An annex provides template scorecards for track one categorical indicators.