Most efforts to tackle climate change have been focused on isolated, distinct, and often competing goals and actions on mitigation (lowering emissions) or adaptation (reducing vulnerability). Incremental reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and climate vulnerabilities are important steps. However, long-term climate change management requires a shift from sectoral perspectives to a holistic approach that incorporates climate change mitigation and adaptation into environment and sustainable development goals and planning processes. Such an approach recognizes that climate change responses are closely intertwined with development choices and actions involving multiple sectors, stakeholders, and ecosystems. An integrated approach also enables countries to mobilize and employ diverse financing and policy options required for low-emission and climate-resilient development.

UNDP’s assistance to countries to formulate and implement green, low-emission and climate-resilient development strategies (Green LECRDS) draws upon the experience and information generated by UNDP’s support for climate change adaptation and mitigation projects and National Communications to the UNFCCC in some 140 countries over the past decade. The formulation and implementation of Green LECRDS will allow developing countries to respond more effectively to climate change. Green LECRDS will help guide conventional and innovative sources of sustainable development and climate financing, and assist sub-national and national governments in implementing, monitoring, and catalyzing low-emission and climate-resilient development projects and programmes.

UNDP recognizes the critical need to support developing country governments to build on their existing development strategies and coordination experiences (e.g., National Communications, National Adaptation Plan of Action, National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, UN Development Assistance Framework, Country Assistance Strategy, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action, etc.) to construct comprehensive policy frameworks that integrate climate and development policies, planning, and action across multiple sectors at national, regional and local levels. UNDP’s technical and financial services for preparing Green LECRDS strengthen the capacity of national and sub-national governments to transform their development path to a low-emission and ecologically sustainable future. At their request, UNDP supports developing countries to access, combine and sequence various sources of financing for LECRDS and guides countries towards effective implementation.