We are pleased to announce our participation in the upcoming NAP Expo 2025, taking place in Lusaka, Zambia, from August 12–15, 2025!

Organized under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the NAP Expo is a global platform that supports developing countries in advancing their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). This 10th edition of the Expo is held under the theme: “Innovations in the NAP Process”. It brings together participants from governments, international organizations, and civil society to share experiences, promote partnerships, and scale up ambition in climate adaptation planning and implementation.  As part of our commitment to enhancing climate resilience through financial innovation, we will engage in the three sessions outlined below, highlighting our work in Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) and its integration into national adaptation planning. Additionally, we will present the newly published NAP supplementary guidelines. 

Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) Integration into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) – An Innovative Pathway to Enhance Resilience 

Date & Time: 14 August 2025, 14:00-15:30  Central Africa Time (CAT)  

Organizers: MCII (UNU-EHS), UNDP 

This session will explore how integrating CDRFI into NAPs can strengthen financial resilience, unlock adaptation finance, and support the development of bankable climate projects. Drawing on country experiences—such as Ethiopia—and recent NAP supplementary guidelines from MCII and UNDP, climate funds, and MCII, the session will showcase practical tools, lessons learned, and opportunities to scale up risk-informed adaptation planning. It will also highlight how CDRFI can address financing and implementation gaps while fostering collaboration across the public and private sectors. 

 Panelists:  

• Serin Oh, Project Associate, Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII), United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)  

• Liam Fee, Adaptation Planning Specialist, UNDP 

• Atsbeha Syum, Policy Development Expert, Ministry of Planning and Development of Ethiopia 

• Pattabiraman Subramanian, Senior Readiness Specialist, Green Climate Fund (GCF) 

• Farayi Madziwa, Readiness Program Officer, Adaptation Fund (AF) 

• Florian Waldschmidt, Project Manager,  MCII/United Nations University - EHS 
  

Scaling Innovation in NAPs: Insights from African LDCs on Integrating Local Knowledge and Advanced Technologies 

Date & Time: August 15, 9:00-10:30 CAT 

Organizers: MCII (UNU-EHS), UNCDF, UNDRR, UNEP 

This session brings together local adaptation experts from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and international specialists to explore how innovation can enhance National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). LDCs face unique challenges—local adaptation solutions are often undocumented and difficult to scale, while cutting-edge technologies like AI and probabilistic modeling are costly and require specialized expertise. 

With the 2025 deadline for current NAPs approaching, this discussion will highlight short-term opportunities for NAP production and lessons learned for future formulation and examine how implementation unfolds at the local level. Experts from Zambia, Somalia, and other African LDCs will share experiences alongside representatives from UNU, UNCDF, UNEP and other organizations. The session will identify concrete opportunities for integrating local innovations with advanced technologies and discuss how international support can accelerate NAP implementation and enhance future NAP formulation. It will conclude with a call to action for fostering inclusive, scalable, and effective adaptation strategies in LDCs.  

Panelists:  

• Dr. Novas Somanje, Ministry of Agriculture, Zambia 

• Lydia Chibambo, Zambia Climate Change Network  

• Abdiaziz Haji, Somalian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change 

• Herven Silmé, UNDRR 

• Dani Harake, UNEP 

• Nellie Ngulube, UNEP 

• Aine Mushi, UNCDF 

• Alvaro Rojas-Ferreira, MCII/UNU-EHS 

• Florian Waldschmidt, MCII/UNU-EHS 

Supplements to the NAP Technical Guidelines 

Date & Time: 13 August 2025, 14:00-15:30 CAT

Organizers: Least Developed Countries Expert Group, 

This session will introduce and launch new supplements to the technical guidelines for the formulation and implementation of NAPs. MCII will present Supplementary Guidelines on “Integrating Disaster Risk Finance in National Adaptation Plans”, which was co-developed with UNDP-IRFF. 

Through various COP decisions, constituted bodies under the UNFCCC, UN organizations, specialized agencies, and other relevant organizations, as well as bilateral and multilateral agencies, have been mandated to support developing countries in the process of formulating and implementing NAPs. Such support includes, but is not limited to, developing and applying supplements to the NAP technical guidelines, which provide greater detail on topics and concepts in the NAP Technical Guidelines.  

A list of the supplements to be launched is available on the NAP Expo website. All available supplements are available on NAP Central at http://napcentral.org. The session will also launch other relevant publications on NAPs.  

Panelists (tbc): Serin Oh (MCII-UNU-EHS), GERICS, WIM ExCom