Integrating Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation into Sustainable Development Planning: The Policy Dimension

Promoting inclusive and sustainable economic and social development whilst simultaneously adapting to climate change impacts and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in Africa is embedded within the current discourse of sustainable development (SD) and climate compatible development (CCD) theories. This chapter seeks to demonstrate the implementation and the emerging added value of SD- and CCD-guided interventions at national and regional levels in selected countries of sub-Saharan Africa namely: Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria. We analyse the outcomes from analysis of existing national and regional level policy documents related to climate change adaptation and mitigation in development planning processes in order to assess the level of national awareness of the concept of sustainable development planning in the quest of each nation’s national development to address climate change and adaptation in the water, agriculture, forestry and energy sectors. The study also explored the strategies and actions followed in the case study countries in their quest to achieving maximum opportunity of national adaptation, mitigation and development. Key policy and implementation lessons across different sectors and governance structures (local, national and regional) were also explored for enhanced integration of sustainable development planning processes with adaptation and mitigation practice.