The scale and complexity of climate adaptation with rapid urbanization and escalating risks cannot be overstated. Connecting strategic investment in infrastructure, driven by national and city governments, with mobilized grassroots action can achieve more cost-effective and impactful urban climate adaptation. Inclusive approaches, such as community-led data collection and the co-design of locally led climate adaptation solutions with organized communities, combined with innovative climate financing like Results-based Finance, can bridge the climate financing gap for the most vulnerable areas, strengthen institutions, and foster new patterns of collaborative working.

In the heart of South Africa’s Kalahari Desert, the Pella Food Garden Cooperative—a women-led vegetable production project—struggled to sustain its drought-ravaged land. To combat this crisis, INMED South Africa introduced aquaponics—a cost-effective, sustainable farming method that merges fish farming (aquaculture) with soilless crop production (hydroponics) in a closed, climate-resilient system. These systems use 90% less water than conventional agriculture, rely on rainwater harvesting, and minimize energy use.

Climate change is a significant challenge for smallholder farmers in northeast Madagascar, where 94% of farmers surveyed reported impacts due to temperature rise and 91% due to reduced rainfall. 57% expect to have much less food, and 35% somewhat less food, to feed their families in the future due to these changes. Yet adaptation is limited by existing socioeconomic inequalities involving access to market activities and gender.

Plenty of research suggests that national and local actors are much better placed to identify and respond to protection concerns in disaster response and need to be better resourced and supported to do so. This research paper outlines the findings from Vanuatu, Tonga and Solomon Islands on the interface between localization and protection in the Pacific, and seeks to better understand the combination of local, national and international roles that can provide the best possible protection outcomes for affected people in disasters.

Large-scale adoption of sustainable land management and nature-based solutions to drought is not a standalone transformation – it is an integral part of rethinking how we value land and relearning how to manage land sustainably. A whole-of-society approach can ensure the voices and experiences of all actors and those most impacted by droughts are considered, helping improve coordination on drought preparation, response, recovery, and adaptation.

Setidaknya sudah ada 1.500 petani kecil yang mendapat pelatihan dan diberdayakan oleh Aliet Green, hingga mengantarkan lembaga ini mendapat penghargaan Local Adaptation Champions Awards, yang diberikan di acara Conference of the Parties (COP29) di kota Baku, Azerbaijan, awal pekan kemarin.

GCA intern Taylor Black discusses how possibilities for LLA to transform climate adaptation for the better are vast, but that realizing this vision requires dismantling entrenched barriers and fostering equitable collaboration.

IIED-América Latina was awarded a Global Center on Adaptation Local Adaptation Champions Award in the category of Urban Adaptation Solutions.

The four climate champions were awarded the 2024 Local Adaptation Champions Awards for their innovative adaptation initiatives empowering communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

En el marco de la cumbre mundial del clima de Bakú, el Instituto Internacional de Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (IIED) para América Latina ganó 15.000 euros por proyecto de soluciones para combatir los impactos del empeoramiento de las olas de calor en los vecinos del Barrio 20.

As the international community gathered in Azerbaijan for COP29, connected to the work of the Global Hub, the GCA COP29 Leaders Event “Global Champions for LLA” was the Global Center’s flagship event at the United Nations Climate Change Conference at Baku. It served as a celebration of the possibilities of adaptation action led by, and for, communities most affected by the climate crisis and included the presentation of the 2024 Local Adaptation Champion Awards.

What are development partners, multilateral institutions, and national governments doing, to support LLA? How do communities in Latin America rate climate finance providers, on their performance on LLA? What are farmers in Cambodia and coral gardeners in St Lucia doing, to adapt to climate change?

Find out in the 2024 Stories of Resilience!

Less than 5% of total public adaptation finance provided between 2016-2021 reached Least Developed Countries (LDCs). To rectify this, LDCs have signed a compact with development partners to spark a transformation in how LDCs finance, develop, deliver and learn from long term adaptation and resilience efforts.

Expanding LLA strategies by communities in Senegal, Nigeria and Ghana can play a major role in addressing the unique challenges posed by climate change on local communities. Experience across Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal demonstrate that communities have been adapting to the impacts of climate change, to varying degrees. But LLA strategies in west Africa face a number of stumbling blocks.

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) announced the 21 nominees for the 2024 Local Adaptation Champions Awards today. These prestigious awards, which spotlight groundbreaking and scalable locally led efforts, celebrate innovation in addressing the growing impacts of climate change while fostering resilience at the community level. The nominees have been selected in four categories: Water Security, Food Security, Local Entrepreneurship, and Urban Adaptation Solutions. This year the Global Center on Adaptation received a record 870 applications from organizations in 107 countries.

A one- size-fits-all approach to establishing heat safety thresholds won’t work. Instead, heat safety limits need to be evaluated for different socially vulnerable groups, such as neonates, infants, children, and pregnant and postpartum women.

The Global Center on Adaptation marked a significant milestone in climate adaptation, sustainable urban development, and green jobs with the inauguration of 12 Black Soldier Fly units in Mukuru, Nairobi . The initiative, undertaken with key global and local partners, is set to revolutionize waste management in one of Nairobi's largest informal settlements while providing employment opportunities for young people by equipping them with skills in sustainable agriculture, waste management, and business management.

Community initiatives are the starting point for transformative adaptation to ready our world for a changed climate, according to this study.

MSMEs, smallholder farmers and informal individual entrepreneurs are the most important private sector actors for truly locally led adaptation because they are already heavily invested in adapting to climate change impacts.

An Indian philanthropy is redefining the relationship between fund providers and recipients.

Climate knowledge is often built top-down, overlooking diverse experiences and expertise of women and marginalized communities. This needs to change.

During this session hosted by Micro Save Consulting, panelists explored the key challenges, opportunities, optimal solutions, and innovative approaches to ensure effective climate adaptation strategies in Africa.

GCA CEO’s Official Visit to Bangladesh Paves Way for Enhanced Collaborations for Climate Resilience.

Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), visited Chattogram today to listen and learn from local communities who are leading in the preparation of People’s Adaptation Plans, aimed at improving climate resilience in the city’s informal settlements. The visit underscores the GCA’s commitment to supporting local leadership by vulnerable populations in their fight against climate change, and linking their priorities for resilience building to investments by international financial institutions.

Most community engagement methods fail to effectively integrate the voices of local communities. Here's how this can change.