How to Improve M&E in Climate Adaptation Action in the Case of International Projects Dealing with Socio-hydrological Resilience

Climate change adaptation after COP21 (Paris 2015) has started gaining policy and finance attention. Several are still the challenges to make adaptation operative and one of them is the establishment of robust systems for monitoring and evaluating adaptation actions. In fact, there is still no single indicator or methodology agreed at international level to measure adaptation. The evolution of climate change impacts on socio-economic conditions at local level remains mostly uncertain, which hinders the development of capacities needed for effective adaptation. Least Developed Countries and Small Islands Developing States are the strongest hit by climate change yet also characterised by climate data paucity and limited capacity of interpretation on potential impacts. These caveats are barriers to adaptation action at both national and international levels. This paper formulates lessons learned from a review of monitoring and evaluation systems in adaptation projects supported by international funds, i.e. Adaptation Fund, with a focus on socio-hydrological resilience. It concludes on recommendations for establishing results frameworks that improve transparency and accountability on adaptation action.