Concept Note - October 2012

The objective of this UNDP-USAID programme is to strengthen the capacity of technical officers in Ministries of Planning/Finance as well as line Ministries (Environment, Agriculture, Water, Public Works, and others) to understand the economics of adaptation as it relates to medium- and long-term national, sub-national and sectoral development plans as well as in evaluating different adaptation investment projects.

The approach adopted in this capacity building programme is based on the following key elements:

• Training of technical officers at the national and sub-national level to estimate the economic costs and benefits of climate change impacts as well as adaptation options   
• Support technical officers at the national/sub-national level, including others, to assess the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation options to promote learning by doing
• Establishment of  a region-based training programme that is housed within an appropriate learning centre in the region that can provide continous technical advisory support
• Convene policy dialogue forums with Ministries of Planning/Finance and line Ministries at the country and regional level to discuss the economics of adaptation in the context of national and sub-national medium and long-term national development plans
• Develop a virtual community of practice of technical officers workng on the economics of adaptation in Asia
• Identify investment projects for adaptation that can be financed from current and emerging sources of funds.