Climate change threatens the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. African countries contribute only about 3.8% of total greenhouse gas emissions, but are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change.

UNDP is launching a US$92.1 million Climate Change Adaptation Programme for the African continent, titled “Supporting Integrated and Comprehensive approaches to Climate Change Adaptation in Africa” and will assist 21 countries across the African continent in incorporating climate change risks and opportunities into national development processes to secure development gains under a changing climate.

This study will include review of on-going planned national programmes, and policies of relevant to climate change adaptation. It will identify national policies which are vulnerable to climate change as well as national programmes that present opportunities for reducing vulnerability to climate change. All countries that will receive UNDP's support will have prepared National Communications for climate change and many of them will already have National Adaptation Programmes of Action.

These climate change initiatives, together with development programmes with potential to support adaptation, will provide the platform for designing effective adaptation programmes.