IISD: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has released the sixth issue of its Climate Change Adaptation Bulletin, a quarterly publication that provides an overview of the technical assistance to countries at the national, sub-national and community-levels. The Bulletin reports on projects carried out in Liberia, Cape Verde, Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Samoa and Cambodia.

The issue examines adaptation initiatives in Liberia since the adoption of the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), focusing on the UNDP-Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project on “Enhancing Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Areas to Climate Change Risks.” The Bulletin includes an article on the launch of the project on “Building adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change in the water sector in Cape Verde.” It also features articles on: a project on coastal afforestation in Bangladesh, which demonstrates new approaches, such as community-based afforestation and green belt management; a project on “Improving the Resilience of the Agriculture Sector to Climate Change Impacts,” which was endorsed by the Lao PDR Government in collaboration with UNDP; and the launch in Samoa of a project on “Integration of Climate Change Risks and Resilience into Forestry Management.”

The Bulletin further describes collaboration between the UNDP Country Office in Cambodia and the Government to address women’s inequalities by mainstreaming gender into selected environment and energy projects including the NAPA. A vulnerability risk assessment revealed that women’s limited access to water resources for domestic use and to agriculture extension services are key issues. Concrete solutions to address this include introduction of rainwater harvesting, piped water supply, and water purification technologies. The Bulletin also includes a list of the updated status of adaptation initiatives across regions. [Publication: UNDP Climate Change Adaptation – Issue No.6, May 2011] Source>>