Locally led adaptation (LLA) is an approach which seeks to ensure that local people have individual and collective agency over defining, prioritising, designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating adaptation actions. LLA is grounded in the belief that people who are on the frontline of climate risks are best placed to respond to both current and future impacts of climate change.

Local people often lack the financial resources, decision-making power and technical skills required to lead adaptation. Yet despite these challenges, there are a growing number of initiatives around the globe which are delivering LLA on the ground.

The purpose of this guide is to highlight different ways that LLA can be financed and delivered. The guide showcases 13 investment-ready delivery mechanisms from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific and offers insights on how funders and implementing entities can scale up investment for LLA.

Cite this publication

Steinbach, D., Bahadur, A., Shakya , C., Thazin Aung, M., Burton, C., Gallagher, C., Mbewe, S., Greene, S., Regmi, B., Granderson, A., Ramkissoon, C., Kostka, W., Andon, L., Greenstone-Alefaio, T., Dolcemascolo, G., Gupta, S., Tewary, A., Lopez, M., Barnes, J., Mirza, A., Bodrud-Doza, M., Akhter, F., Rozario, S. and Reyes, C. (2022). The good climate finance guide for investing in locally led adaptation. IIED, London.
Available at https://www.iied.org/21231iied