Adapting to climate change is seen as imperative to sustainable development. Yet few poverty alleviation efforts include adaptation strategies. This report examines the progress in mainstreaming adaptation into development planning in countries like Bangladesh, Kenya, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

It focuses on integration of adaptation into poverty reduction frameworks in economic sectors, international donors, nongovernmental organisations and research institutes. The authors highlight five types of potential obstacles; information, institutions, inclusion, incentives, and international development finance.

They recommend that policymakers work more closely with scientists to understand climate change impacts and their relation to development priorities. They also suggest more civil society and nongovernmental stakeholders be included in climate policymaking. National adaptation programmes should be situated within powerful ministries, say the authors. And donors should provide incentives for developing countries to participate in adaptation efforts, they add.

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