This document analyzes the adaptation components of 296 total NDCs from 148 countries, including both first and updated NDCs. It finds that while updated NDCs show improved alignment with other national policies and include more specific adaptation actions across critical systems like water, food security, and natural environments, they still have shortcomings. In particular, implementation planning and financing details are often limited. The document concludes that updated NDCs need more fully developed implementation arrangements and financing to effectively achieve the scale of adaptation required by the climate crisis.

1. CLIMATE RESILIENCE PRACTICE (CRP)
STATE OF THE ADAPTATION
COMPONENTS OF THE NATIONALLY
DETERMINED CONTRIBUTIONS
May 25, 2022

2. • Total NDCs reviewed: 296
• Number of first NDCs: 148
• Number of updated NDCs: 148
• First NDCs with adaptation: 105
• Updated NDCs with adaptation: 106
• Number of adaptation
priorities/actions: 5,916
Scanned for inclusion of 7 key systems in
Adapt Now report from Global
Commission on Adaptation:
• Water
• Natural Environment
• Food & Nutrition Security
• Disaster Risk Management
• Cities and Urban Areas
• Infrastructure
• Finance
Plus Locally Led Adaptation, Health,
‘Other’
Working papers :
1. Summary findings of
adaptation NDC analysis
2. Case studies on process to
develop NDCs for Cambodia,
Rwanda, Colombia, and Fiji Google ‘adapt now wri’ for Adapt Now
report
WRI ANALYSIS: STATE OF NDCS FOR ADAPTATION

3. ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK: UPDATED ADAPTATION
NDCS
WRI developed a qualitative framework for assessing changes in the
adaptation components of updated NDCs using nine elements:
1. Ownership
2. Alignment
3. Latest information
4. Coverage of critical systems
5. Implementation readiness of actions
6. Monitoring and evaluation
7. Equity and inclusion
8. Losses and damages
9. Transformative adaptation

4. IMPROVED ALIGNMENT IN POLICIES
As of June 30, 2021 – includes first NDCs from 86 countries, updated NDCs from 86
countries
• Updated NDCs show improved
alignment with other national
and international policy
processes.
• Adaptation components of the
updated NDCs were strongly
influenced by ongoing or
completed NAP processes.
• References to other sub-
national, sectoral, national, and
international policy processes
are more numerous in the
updated NDCs.
• But alignment issues not fully
resolved.

5. DETAILS ON SYSTEMS AND SECTORS
As of December 31, 2021 – includes first NDCs from 148 countries, updated NDCs from 148
countries
Updated NDCs include
more specific adaptation
actions across all critical
systems/sectors.
Largest increases in:
• Food & Nutrition
Security – 467 vs.
819
• Water – 438 vs. 728
• Nature-based
Solutions – 325 vs.
634
• Other – 309 vs. 680

6. IMPLEMENTATION READINESS: ADAPTATION COSTS
• The articulation of costs
for adaptation actions in
the NDCs, though
growing, is still limited.
• Limited countries report
costs for specific
adaptation priorities.
• There is an increase in
reported unconditional
costs, but cumulative
numbers hide many
methodological issues.
As of December 31, 2021 – includes first NDCs from 148 countries, updated NDCs from 148 countries

7. IN SUMMARY
• Adaptation in the updated NDCs have become more
specific, detailed, inclusive, and better aligned with
other policies.
• However, finance, implementation planning and policy
coherence issues remain to be fully resolved.
– They need implementation arrangements and
financing to move into implementation at the scale
and speed the climate crisis requires; and
– they need to be very well aligned with other
adaptation processes, such as the NAPs, AdComs
and other national processes.

8. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• Working Paper: State of the Nationally Determined
Contributions: Enhancing Adaptation Ambition
• Working Paper: Stories Behind the Adaptation
Commitments in the Nationally Determined
Contributions of Cambodia, Rwanda, Colombia, and Fiji
• Blog: 3 Things to Know About the Adaptation
Components of Countries’ Updated NDCs
• Full Dataset: Climate Watch