New publication: Designing National Monitoring Systems for Adaptation to Climate Change by CTCN, UNEP-DTU and CATIE

Climate change presents a new type of challenge for development. It is, by now, widely acknowledged that climate-change impacts amplify existing unfavorable conditions for developing countries (McCarthy et al.2001). It is also acknowledged that developing nations are more vulnerable and have less adaptive capacity to confront such changes (Swart et al. 2003). Countries with limited resources, poor infrastructure and unstable institutions have generally little capacity to adapt and are highly vulnerable (Smit and Pilifosova 2001). These factors are intrinsically linked with those that promote sustainable development while at the same time aiming to improve living conditions and increase access to resources. Therefore, targeted development planning and strategies have important roles in strengthening the adaptive capacities of societies at various levels.