Adaptation requires context-specific planning, a necessity recognized under the international climate governance framework. National adaptation plans (NAPs) are pivotal policy instruments for developing countries to design their adaptation actions, as highlighted by various outcomes of the Conference of the Parties (COPs). While many studies have examined the landscape or effectiveness of NAPs at local or national levels, few have scrutinized the coherence of the entire NAP scheme under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Osamu Mizuno and Naoyuki Okano from the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan, addressed this research gap by examining COP decisions and related guidelines. They find that since the first agreement on NAPs at COP16, inconsistencies, ambiguities and even contradictions have persisted among these documents. Consequently, the current NAP scheme fails to provide clear guidance on defining the purpose, perspective or content of NAPs. By reviewing the NAPs submitted by nine Asia-Pacific countries, the authors also reveal an inconsistent understanding of the NAP scheme among these countries. These findings highlight the urgent need for a unified approach to NAP formulation, with a stronger focus on the NAP process and the provision of practical and clear guidance.