Building climate resilience is crucial for enhancing livelihoods, as well as reducing poverty and addressing other inequalities that climate change will otherwise intensify. Well-chosen adaptation actions can also help to avoid future climate-related losses and even provide strong economic returns. But to build climate resilience equitably and effectively, countries must develop plans, strategies, laws, and policies to guide their adaptation actions, as well as access the finance required to implement them.  
As of August 2023, 168 countries – or 85% – had at least one national adaptation planning instrument in place. Of the 29 countries without an adaptation planning instrument in place, 14 are in the process of developing one and five are pursuing funding to support their adaptation planning. These adaptation planning instruments include national adaptation plans, adaptation communications, national climate change laws and policies, and national communications.  

Building climate resilience is crucial for enhancing livelihoods, as well as reducing poverty and addressing other inequalities that climate change will otherwise intensify. Well-chosen adaptation actions can also help to avoid future climate-related losses and even provide strong economic returns. But to build climate resilience equitably and effectively, countries must develop plans, strategies, laws, and policies to guide their adaptation actions, as well as access the finance required to implement them.  
As of August 2023, 168 countries – or 85% – had at least one national adaptation planning instrument in place. Of the 29 countries without an adaptation planning instrument in place, 14 are in the process of developing one and five are pursuing funding to support their adaptation planning. These adaptation planning instruments include national adaptation plans, adaptation communications, national climate change laws and policies, and national communications.