Evaluating adaptation progress on LDCs

Skills
Monitored and evaluated the progress and financial support of adaptation projects for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and other developing countries through the creation of digital platforms, self-updating data dashboards and publications.

Impact
0
in 3 days
0
in 3 days
Credits
Mitsue Guerrero - Project developer
Paul Desanker - NAP team Director
UNFCCC NAP team members
2023

Brief

Data collection was a major time-consuming process, with low standardisation and updates relying on manual input, lead to lack of transparency on the progress of National Adaptation Plans.

How might we bring transparency to adaptation progress?

Process:

  1. Analyzed organizational structure and responsibilities.

  2. Mapped existing data collection processes and identified bottlenecks.

  3. Conducted interviews to uncover primary user needs, particularly for country parties seeking National Adaptation Plan information.

  4. Ideated and prototyped solutions using open-source tools to ensure continuity, transparency, and replicability.

  5. Tested solutions with users to ensure information accessibility.

  6. Measured and evaluated productivity improvements.

Outcome

Creation of user accounts with corresponding secure database for access.

Standardised and easy-to-update data collection sheet.

Interactive data dashboard that syncs to data collection sheet and project funding databases (GCF, AF, GEF).

Development of NAP Central Website as Repository for NAPs and related resources.

Insights

Hacking bureacratic processes with open-source tools

While they can have some limitations, open-source tools offer many advantages:

  • Allow UNFCCC to not depend on funds disbursement

  • Allow to iterate quickly

  • Allow for others to use the code and

Insights

Balancing multiple users and priorities

Data-collection was made external and internally.

Which also required the standarization to be flexible to cover the main user groups each with varied levels of knowledge regarding NAPs.

Insights

Less time for data collection and cleaning equals more time for drafting insights

Automating those data-collection processes that could be automated allowed us to spend more time for visualising more complex pieces of information that were published through reports.