India has been facing diverse and compounding impacts of climate change due to an increase in extreme weather events such as heatwaves, intense cyclones, and unusually heavy rainfall and floods.  Additionally, slow onset changes in rainfall and temperature cause widespread impacts across geographies and sectors. Although the country is highly vulnerable to such impacts, bolstering resilience and adopting effective adaptation measures could reduce the extent of this vulnerability and its related consequences to a large extent. Historically, mitigation action has received more attention than adaptation from a climate governance perspective. The absence of a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) further exacerbates the challenges as there is no comprehensive policy at the national level to guide adaptation action in the country.  Therefore, the need to develop a comprehensive and efficient plan solely dedicated to strengthening adaptation action in the context of climate change has become an urgent national priority. In addition to adaptation planning, India also requires support in effective programming and mobilization of adaptation finance. This readiness proposal aims to strengthen evidence-based adaptation planning and increase the flow of adaptation finance in the country by catalyzing private sector investments in climate resilience and adaptation.   

The overall goal of the project is to enhance India’s resilience to the risks and impacts of climate change by development of a NAP that guides mainstreaming of adaptation and scaling up adaptation finance through understanding climate risks, implementing adaptive strategies based on scientific and traditional knowledge, and inclusive, evidence-based planning involving stakeholders at all levels.