This document summarizes the results of a study adapting to climate change through integrated vulnerability assessments and planning in Nepal. The study involved 393 communities and 87,000 households across two landscapes. Vulnerability assessments were conducted at the landscape and community levels. Prioritized adaptation options implemented included constructing green infrastructure, promoting drought-resistant crops, and land terracing. Challenges included ensuring adaptation activities also support development and that climate data is appropriately downscaled for Nepal. The way forward includes further building knowledge and skills on adaptation planning and mainstreaming adaptation into policy.

1. Adapting to Climate Change and Variability
through Integrated Vulnerability Assessment
and Planning
Sunil K. Regmi, Man B Biswokarma
and
Judy Oglethorpe
12 January 2015

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Introduction
Materials
and
Methods
Results
and
discussion
Lessons
and way
forward

3. Introduction
• Sustainable development
Catching up growth
• Planetary boundaries:
Climate change, ocean
acidification, land use,
biodiversity loss
• Climate change had
jeopardize the country’s
ambition of graduating to
become a middle income
country by 2022
Source: https://www.coursera.org/learn/sustainabledevelopment1/outline

4. Materials and Methods
• Study area, and data
Collected
• 393 communities with
87,000 HH involved
• 290 adaptation at
community level and
30 at VDC level
• Landscape level
Vulnerability
Assessments: Two
landscapes

5. Vulnerability assessment and adaptation
planning methods
Assess vulnerability and resilience at landscape level
Assess the underlying causes of poverty and
vulnerability
Climate vulnerability and capacity assessment
Formulation of adaptation plan at community, village
development committee levels
Climate change sensitization

6. Results: Outreach and Hazards
• Extended Outreach:
176,456 persons received
climate change related
training in the 2 landscapes
through TOT approach
adapted.
• Climatic Hazards: Flood,
Drought, landslide
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Flood Drought Hail Landslide Cold and
heat waves
Percentage of respondents (N=73)

7. Results: Adaptation planning approach and practices
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
UCPVA
Unit selected
Eco and Com Asessment
Local adaptation measures
Alternative adaptation
Prioritization
Service provider Analysis
Integrated planning
Monitoring system
Mainstreaming
Percentage of respondents (N=73)

8. Results: Prioritized adaptation options and its early
effectiveness
Adaptation measures Effectiveness
Flood Construction of green check dams,
irrigation channel and plastic
ponds, health and sanitation,
plantation, early warning system
Protection of crops and
livestock,
Drought Promotion of dry land farming
with drought resistant agricultural
crops and varieties, Multiple use
of water,
Availability of water for
irrigation and drinking
was enhanced
Landslide Land terracing with tree planting
in bunds and Bioengineering
measures
Loss of human life and
damage to property
reduced
Source: Field survey, Hariyo Ban, 2014

9. Results: Best adaptation planning practices
Bottom-up, inclusive, responsive and flexible approaches
including top down information sharing.
Process follows participatory and logical steps
Monitoring, reflection and learning
Effectiveness of adaptation activities
Enhancing adaptive capacity
Targeting the most degraded ecosystems and vulnerable
communities
Partnership with multiple development partners
Integration into local planning process
Source: Field survey, Hariyo Ban, 2014

10. Results: Policy gaps
• Institutional framework
for adaptation
• Ground realities
• Coordinating body at
district level
• Adaptation planning
and local government
• Policies on adaptation
planning

11. Learning from integrated adaptation planning
• Solid foundation
• Effective in reaching extended
beneficiaries
• Targeting on women, poor and
vulnerable effective
• High degree of ownership
• Requires ability to work across multiple
sectors
• Flexibility
• Scenario planning
• Multiple ecosystem level
• Best scientific information needed

12.  Adaptation and
development activities may
look like development and
conservation activity.
 Downscaling climate data in
Nepal
 Adaptation Knowledge gap
 Different frameworks on
CCA, DRR and EFLG
 Policy gaps for adaptation
planning
 Monitoring adaptation
effectiveness
Challenges

13. Way forward
• Enhancing knowledge and skills on
adaptation planning
• Mainstreaming of adaptation
• Support for making environment
friendly communities
• Scaling up adaptation experience
• Policy engagement with right holder
• Networking of institutions
• Monitoring community and ecosystems
resilience building

14. Acknowledgement
• Community members of the selected sites for
sharing their responses
• Related government officials for the support
provided
• Members of survey team for collecting field
information
• Consortium partners (WWF, CARE, FECOFUN and
NTNC) for coordination and full support

15. This paper is made possible by the generous support of the
American people through the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID). The contents of this
presentation are the responsibility of World Wildlife Fund, Inc., and
do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States
Government.