This module tackles the challenge of establishing whether adaptation and resilience actions are delivering the intended benefits and reducing climate change risks. It addresses the thorny problem of how to move beyond the measurement of ‘outputs’ at the implementation level, to assessing whether actions are delivering longer term changes that are compatible with resilience under future climatic conditions. It looks at how we can track adaptation performance in the longer term using metrics related to human, economic and ecological wellbeing, and climate change losses and damages.

The module addresses the use of quantitative indicators and more qualitative approaches for monitoring changes in resilience and adaptive capacity. It looks at the tailoring of evaluation questions to adaptation contexts, and addresses how monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) can address and support genuine participation and inclusion.

The module builds on our world leading experience in developing adaptation MEL frameworks, systems and indicators for national adaptation plans, international climate finance, and individual programmes and projects. It draws on examples of adaptation MEL frameworks from a variety of contexts, selected based on the interests of the audience. Participants learn how to assess the effectiveness of adaptation actions using a variety of qualitative and quantitative approaches, with and without recourse to climate data.Key questions addressed in this module include:

• How do we define adaptation success?
• How do we move from monitoring short-term ‘outputs’ to longer-term outcomes & impacts?
• How can we develop appropriate indicators for monitoring adaptation actions and results?
• How can we measure resilience?
• How can we tailor common evaluation approaches to adaptation contexts?
• How do we assess adaptation performance in a context of rapidly changing climate risks?
• What role do climate data play in adaptation MEL?
• How do we ensure that monitoring and evaluation contribute to genuine learning?
• How do we make MEL more inclusive?

This module consists of two sessions and one exercise, with around 60-90 minutes allocated for each, depending on the level of tailoring for specific audiences. It is the fifth and final module in our Adapting to Climate Change Course. For more detail on the content of this and other modules, download the course outline (pdf).

We can also run extended MEL for Adaptation courses on request, tailored to the needs of particular organisations and expanding on the content in this module. Prior to the pandemic, we ran 2-day courses dedicated to Adaptation ME as both in-house courses and bespoke courses for organisations including ITAD and ODI.