The registration format for climate change adaptation actions was designed to provide feedback on the initial proposal of adaptation actions and projects that support Mexico’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Currently, the NDC of Mexico has 21 general adaptation actions. Each action needs to be characterized to include activities in designated locations, relevant implementation actors, a set budget and indicators to measure progress and impact over time. To implement the actions contributing to the NDC, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is supporting the General Directorate of Climate Change Policies (DGPCC) of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) in characterizing the NDC adaptation actions, as well as its registration in a user-friendly system over the medium- and long-term.
The Government of Mexico has set itself the objective of having a format that supports the recording of relevant information for the monitoring of climate adaptation measures that contribute to the NDC. During the “First Workshop on Identifying Relevant Information for the Design of a Record Format of Climate Change Actions That Contribute to the NDC,” carried out on July 26, 2018, the DGPCC explained that the registration format will be used by federal, state and municipal government institutions, civil society organizations, academia, the private sector and citizens who carry out climate projects or adaptation measures in Mexico.
In a series of participatory exercises during the workshop, participants reviewed and identified the necessary criteria for the registration of actions or adaptation projects. They then analyzed the different categories of recorded information to provide feedback and identify informational gaps in each category.
In a round of final reflection, participants suggested the following:
• Propose adaptation measures that respond to vulnerability assessments (present and future) with methodologies that are appropriate to the territories or sectors where the project is planned.
•Promote participatory processes of collective knowledge construction and mutual learning in the creation of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for climate change adaptation in Mexico.
• Establish metrics and indicators that aim to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience in the different topics and subtopics and regions of the country, and that, starting in 2020, are tied to Mexico’s stocktaking of its progress towards adaptation every five years (Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement) until 2030 and beyond.
•Include a gender perspective in the selection of adaptation measures.
• Communicate and generate transparency and accountability mechanisms for adaptation.
• Gather information on additional methodologies such as climate finance tracking, classifying it by donation or credit.
• Ensure governance of the implementation of adaptation actions through interinstitutional agreements.
One of the questions that arose during the event was how the registry of adaptation actions will be linked to other projects that the government carries out through efforts such as the Special Program on Climate Change (PECC) and the Sectoral Program for the Environment and Natural Resources (PROMARNAT). The recommendation of the participants was to link the adaptation measures registered in the system with the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both at the goal and objective level.
This workshop is just the first step of a participatory process that Mexico has undertaken to successfully adapt to climate change and achieve the goals established by the NDC. The workshop facilitates the design of a format that offers an overview of the projects implemented at the national level by different governmental and nongovernmental actors. For the objective to be achieved, two complementary tasks are required: 1) a concise characterization of each NDC adaptation action and 2) the establishment of a monitoring system with indicators to measure progress towards adaptation. Finally, although the goal is still far from being achieved, the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance implemented by GIZ will continue to work closely with the Mexican Government to achieve this ambitious goal.
On July 26, 2018, SEMARNAT, through the DGPCC and with the support of the GIZ Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance, carried out the “First Workshop on Identifying Relevant Information for the Design of a Record Format of Climate Change Actions That Contribute to the NDC.”
