Assessment of the DRC

National Adaptation Plan

The DRC National Adaptation Plan aims to address climate change impacts and promote
sustainable development. We will assess the plan by examining its structure and components,
implementation plan, and potential gaps.

by Balolage Gloire
The Process Design
strategies / Reference
Technical Guidelines
for the National
Adaptation Plan
Process
The Least Developed Countries
Expert Group (LEG) made the
Technical Guidelines for the
National Adaptation Plan
Process available in 2012. This
first DRC's NAP adheres to them.
Existing plans &
documents
representing the
current state of
knowledge
This NAP brings together many
existing activities, plans, and
strategies in DRC: National
Strategic Development Plan
2019-2023 (its fifth pillar on
Environement and SDG); DRC's
National Adaptation Program of
Action (NAPA),…

1 2 3 4 5

Leadership Participatory & …the 1st, 2nd & 3rd National

Communications to the UNFCCC,
Inclusive Processes
The plan was led by the the National Agricultural

The plan mobilized a wide range Investment Plan, the National

Ministry of Environment
of stakeholders (from the DRC Determined Contribution (NDC),
and Sustainable the Climate Change Policy,
government (national and
Development, under the provincial administrations), Strategy and Action Plan (CC-

leadership of Mrs. Eve private sector experts; civil PSAP), the DRC's Country Program

society organizations, and for the Green Climate Fund, etc.

BAZAIBA
indigenous peoples
All with the aim of identifying
organizations, with the support
synergies and gaps.
of UNDP and GCF) through
national consultations, a call for
contributions, and workshops.
Different knowledge systems
and values were considered.
Territorial Diversity
Shows that impacts of climate change vary across
different geographic areas and adaptation
strategies must be adapted accordingly.

Emphasizes the importance of involving local

communities and considering traditional knowledge
& practice in climate change adaptation.

1 2 3

Territorial Diversity Identifies the sectors most vulnerable to climate

change in the DRC, including agriculture, water
The plan recognized the territorial diversity of the resources, health, infrastructure, and ecosystems,
DRC. The NAP has dedicated all of Chapter 2 to the which vary across the country.
DRC's national situation, including geographical and
socio-economic contexts, gender, indigenous
populations, and urbanization considerations.
 Vulnerability Root Drivers
1 Some of the key vulnerability
factors, including inequality,
poverty, and access to
resources, are addressed.
However, colonial legacy is
not mentioned as one of the
vulnerability factors.
Gender inequality: Women
are more vulnerable to
climate change due to their
dependence on climate-
related resources
(responsibility to provide or
produce water and food).
2 Women's adaptive capacity is
low due to limited mobility,
education, credit & banking
services, and land ownership
arrangements.
Women have limited access
to climate information due to
lower literacy rates; low
participation in discussions
on climate change, resulting
in low political
representation.
Indigenous women are more
vulnerable due to
discrimination and work more
than men.
3 Illiteracy among indigenous
(particulary women)
aggravates their situation
and makes them more
vulnerable to exploitation.
Urban poor and smallholder
farmers are among the most
vulnerable groups to climate
change. Even small changes
in climate patterns are likely
to have a major impact on
agricultural GDP and
economic growth.
Intensification of food
insecurity and poverty due to
rising temperatures
 Adaptation Barriers and Limits
1 Adaptation Barriers
The plan addressed barriers to
adaptation such as governance (weak
institutions, regulatory gaps), and low
technical and financial capacity, and
lack of information.
2 Adaptation Limits
The plan recognized the potential limits
of adaptation, such as physical limits
(droughts, floods, and tropical storms),
economic limits (more difficult
agricultural production as a result of
unpredictable climate variations), or
social limits (armed) conflict and
displacement of people).
Implementation, Prioritization and
Resources
1 Implementation
Plan & Priority
Actions
The PAN identifies priority
actions for vulnerable
sectors, but lacks clarity on
how these actions are
prioritized between short,
medium, and long terms.
Implementation plans
(roadmaps) will be
developped in the next step.
2 Resource 3 An action plan with specific
capacity needs was
Identification
produced in March 2020,
estimating an initial cost of
The plan (somewhat)
identified the resources $121 million.
needed for implementation.
As of the time of finalizing
this plan, a revision of the
It relies on the 2015 National
new NDC was in progress and
Determined Contribution
therefore costs are expected
(NDC) to estimate the cost of
to have increased since 2015.
adaptation at USD 9.082
billion (broken down into
It is unclear whether all the
agriculture, energy and
necessary resources have
transport, forestry, and
been identified to fully fund
coastal areas).
the implementation of the
plan. additional resources
???
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
Inclusive participation approach, Lack of an implementation plan; Fail to integrate
long-term (medium) adaptation strategies; not
territorial diversity,
considering transboundary impacts (the
integration with other existing plans, transboundary nature of risk) of CC; Does not
address how to deal with loss and damage; Lack of
a more or less satisfactory assessment of risks and
incentive policies for adaptation in the private
vulnerabilities and
sector (businesses): is social responsibility enough?
Provision of a monitoring and evaluation mechanism How will they see their return on investment for
for the adaptation plan. example?; Limited organized consultations in pilot
provinces of the NAP project (Kinshasa, Kongo-
Central, Kwilu, Haut-Katanga, and Tshopo), yet the
country has 26 provinces; The NAP is not complete
and robust/the vulnerability assessments (not
complete/detailed) / data gaps, etc.

Opportunities Threats
Strengthening information and knowledge Persistent political instability,
systems/baseline for future vulnerability and risk
weak institutional capacity,
assessments; enhancing climate diplomacy and
partnerships; a document that can be used in policy financial constraints,
formulation, adaptation project design, and
limited awareness and education,
strategic processes for companies, non-
governmental organizations, and development environmental degradation and conflicts.
partners; engaging the private sector, civil society,
and indigenous people;
Recommendations
Incorporate long-term and medium-term
adaptation strategies to provide a more
robust framework for addressing climate
change impacts.
Address the issue of loss and damage in the
next PAN and/or develop policies and
strategies to deal with it.
Increase the scope of consultations in all
provinces of the country to ensure that the
NAP reflects the needs and priorities of all
regions.
Strengthen information and knowledge
systems to provide a solid baseline for future
vulnerability and risk assessments.
Increase awareness and education on
climate change and its impacts, particularly
among vulnerable communities, to build
capacity and resilience.
1 Develop a comprehensive and actionable
implementation plan to ensure that the
adaptation plan is effectively implemented
and monitored.
2
3 Consider the transboundary nature of
climate risks and vulnerabilities in the next
PAN and develop mechanisms for cross-
border collaboration and coordination with
4 neighboring countries.
5 Develop incentive policies to encourage
private sector investment in adaptation
measures and ensure that businesses see a
6 return on their investment.
7 Improve the quality and completeness of
vulnerability assessments and address data
gaps to provide a more comprehensive
8
understanding of the impacts of climate
change.
9 Enhance climate diplomacy and partnerships
to leverage more international support for
the implementation of the adaptation plan.
10
Conclusion
The DRC National Adaptation Plan offers a promising framework for addressing the climate-
change induced vulnerabilities and promoting sustainable development. However, it faces
challenges and opportunities that require continuous assessment and improvement, and
multidimensional partnerships.