Climate change adaptation: adelphi develops consultancy approaches for the private sector

Three continents, four regions, one challenge: how can small and mid-sized enterprises in developing economies be supported in the adaptation to climate change? As part of a new project, adelphi is developing approaches and tools for consultancy in Bangladesh, Central America, Morocco and Rwanda.

Developing countries are particularly affected by the impacts of climate change. Their vulnerability arises not only from their often inauspicious geographical locations, but also from the structure of their economies. These structures are often characterised by a micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector which takes up a significant portion of gross domestic product and a large part of the local labour market. However, MSMEs often know too little about both the negative effects and the positive business opportunities which arise from the effects of climate change. In addition, they generally lack the necessary resources to develop and implement appropriate adaptation measures. It follows that the better MSMEs are prepared for climate change, the greater the economic resilience of developing countries.

Against this backdrop, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is attending to this issue within the framework of the global programme "Climate change adaptation capacity development in the private sector". However, both German and international development cooperation efforts have failed to deliver adequate instruments for the support of the private sector.

Correcting this deficiency is the goal of the project "Developing and piloting consultancy approaches to climate change adaptation capacity development in the private sector in Bangladesh, Central America, Morocco and Rwanda", in which adelphi has been supporting GIZ since the beginning of December 2014. Alongside the development and implementation of consultancy concepts, tools and pilot schemes for capacity development, the project also aims to raise awareness of the consequences of climate change amongst stakeholders in the target countries; consequences which will have an ever increasingly adverse effect on the economic development of MSMEs in the future. In order to secure replicability and sustainability, adelphi is working both with selected companies and with business associations, consultancy organisations and chambers of commerce.