Monitoring and evaluation for climate change adaptation
A synthesis report of tools, frameworks and approaches
The objective of this report is to provide an easy-to-read synthesis of current adaptation monitoring and evaluation tools, frameworks, and approaches for practitioners. This should enable them to more easily identify the information and tools that are most relevant to their needs. In addition the report should provide a short analysis of the “state of play” of adaptation monitoring and evaluation guidance, identifying key themes and reflecting upon gaps and future priorities.
There is a long-established expertise and experience of monitoring and evaluating (M&E) development activities. Why is there a need for a report focussing on climate change adaptation? Climate change adaptation (CCA) poses challenges of unprecedented scale and scope, which cut across normal programming sectors, levels of intervention, and timeframes. Furthermore, climate adaptation exhibits a number of characteristics, which are not necessarily unique to adaptation, but do require specific consideration if monitoring and evaluation is going to be effective. These characteristics include:
- Long timeframes
- Uncertainty about actual climate change patterns and their effects in a given locale
- Shifting baseline data and changing contexts
- Measuring non-events
- Inappropriateness of universal indicators
- Contribution vs. attribution
- Diversity of key definitions and terms
Source: Bours, D., McGinn, C. and Pringle, P. 2013. Monitoring & evaluation for climate change adaptation: A synthesis of tools, frameworks and approaches. SEA Change CoP, Phnom Penh and UKCIP, Oxford., October 2013