The Climate 2.0 event at the NAP Expo 2024 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, highlighted the importance of making climate adaptation plans more inclusive and explored various tools and strategies to achieve this. A key focus was on better engaging youth in these efforts, leading to extensive and informative discussions among the participants.

The NAP Expo is an annual outreach event organised by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) under the UNFCCC to promote the exchange of experiences, foster partnerships, and advance National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Climate 2.0 ties into this by fostering youth engagement and multi-stakeholder dialogues, following up on previous discussions and leading to more inclusive adaptation strategies. 

The Climate 2.0 event discussed effective strategies for inclusive NAPs, with key topics comprising private sector engagement, the impact of CSR initiatives, and the importance of structured institutional arrangements.

Concrete discussion outcomes highlighted various aspects of effective mechanisms for private sector engagement, with targeted partnerships, incentivising green investments, and leveraging CSR initiatives identified as successful methods. Methods lacking clear incentives or failing to align with business interests were identified as being ineffective. 

The impact of private sector engagement on climate vulnerability involves diverse stakeholders such as financial institutions, large corporations, and women-led entities, leading to enhanced infrastructure, increased resilience of supply chains, and better resource management.

The need for better coordination to maximise the impact of CSR schemes aligned with NAP processes was highlighted, while supporting gender analysis capacity was identified as a crucial aspect, with technical assistance, capacity-building workshops, and peer learning platforms identified as effective methods. Indicators of progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment included closing gender gaps in access to resources, improving women’s participation in decision-making, and generating socio-economic benefits for women. 

Several gaps were also identified, including the need to ensure timely and accurate information dissemination, incorporate all relevant organisations, address local language barriers, and prioritise community needs through a human-centric approach. Bridging the policy-implementation gap, strengthening connections with parliamentarians for better advocacy, and improving public communication of policies were also highlighted as critical areas for improvement.

Participants from GEN Lab Bangladesh shared impactful stories about their programmes which demonstrate resilience benefits through targeted interventions, alternative livelihoods, and youth-led innovation initiatives, supporting university clubs and promoting youth engagement in climate adaptation.

The ‘Inclusive NAPs: Partnerships & Multi-Stakeholder Engagement’ discussion highlighted the significance of broad and inclusive engagement in climate adaptation. While challenges remain, the discussions paved the way for inclusive and impactful climate adaptation policies.

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ClimaComms is an initiative of SLYCAN Trust aimed at supporting and empowering communicators in enhancing evidence-driven and science-based communication on climate change. This initiative aims to better engage journalists, media professionals, and communicators from across the world to build climate awareness, raise climate literacy and contribute to scaling up evidence and science-driven climate action at all levels.

SLYCAN Trust Youth is a global initiative of SLYCAN Trust aiming to connect and empower youth to better engage in policy and action at all levels. Its work focuses on climate change, sustainable development, biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, animal welfare, social justice, entrepreneurship, and transformative resilience-building.