The UN Development Program in Turkmenistan organized a round table for national experts, during which the proposed approach to the development of a system for monitoring and assessing efforts to adapt to climate change was reviewed.

The discussion took place within the framework of the project “Development of the national adaptation planning process in Turkmenistan”.

A well-established monitoring and evaluation system will help achieve progress and effectiveness in implementation of adaptation measures, inform decision-makers about the best available adaptation strategy options, ensure transparency and accountability to the public and the international community, and support country accountability for international obligations, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, according to a UNDP press release.

Roundtable participants gained insight into global approaches and other countries' experiences in developing monitoring and evaluation systems, and discussed proposed steps to create such systems at the national level.

UNDP international expert Ekaterina Melnichenko noted: “There is no single standardized methodology that a country could apply in the development process. This is why it is important to learn from existing experiences, best practices and initiate discussions with stakeholders to integrate into existing systems and processes”.

Participants also reviewed the indicators proposed for each priority sector of the National Climate Change Strategy of Turkmenistan.

National experts participating in the event emphasized the importance of developing indicators that specifically reflect adaptation efforts for each sector, with particular attention to water use efficiency in agriculture and ongoing processes related to the Caspian Sea.

Finally, the participants discussed the applicability of the proposed system for Turkmenistan and discussed the next steps necessary for its implementation.