DESIGNING PROJECTS IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD

• linking local scale assessment, using local
indicators (which will vary between systems
and locations), to assessments at sub-national,
national, and international scales (which use
common aggregate indicators). This supports
reporting from project up to national scale;
• inclusion of new partners (e.g. diverse organizations
and government departments, non-traditional
actors), and the building of options for
wider collaboration, mainstreaming, up-scaling
and out-scaling beyond the project’s lifetime.
• RAPTA can be used to focus scarce resources where
they are most effective, to build resilience in systems
that are potentially sustainable and transform those
that are not;
• RAPTA is a learning system which can be used to
engage communities, governments and funding
agencies in building a mutual understanding of multiple
perspectives. It identifies the causes of, and
solutions for, local sustainability problems, and defines
the practical adaptation pathways needed to
address them;
• Most RAPTA components reflect good project practice
and are advisable whether RAPTA is used or
not (e.g. multi-stakeholder engagement processes).
Seen this way, using RAPTA need not be a significant
overhead, but rather a part of good practice.
Working within the RAPTA framework ensures an
integrated approach, while building resilience thinking,
incremental and/or transformational change
and learning into each project.
1.7 WHERE TO NEXT WITH RAPTA?
These guidelines require further testing, development,
improved accessibility of information (perhaps through
web-linked documents with nested levels of detail)
and a set of worked examples to draw on. Parts of the
RAPTA framework (such as the meta-indicators) can
only be developed by testing the approach. Nevertheless,
we consider that they offer a useful and practical
place to start when embedding resilience, adaptation
pathways and transformation into project design.
approach that is cross-sectoral and multi-scale is
needed to understand and apply these concepts to
underpin development in all its dimensions.
• apply to a wide range of different sectors. A range
of different applications is being actively explored.
The RAPTA approach has the potential to:
• bring resilience, adaptation pathways and transformation
into the design and implementation of projects
in other GEF IAPs (e.g. sustainable cities) and
focal areas, as well as other development programs
• complement the UNCCD’s progress indicators with
indicators at national and subnational scales
• contribute to the UNFCCC parties’ National Adaptation
Plans (NAPs) by encouraging a systems perspective
that informs a holistic approach
• support the underpinning design and implementation
of actions to progress the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), including SDG #1, 2, and #15. 3
The concepts and aspirational goals of resilience,
adaptation, transformation and sustainability are
deeply woven into the SDGs – but there are challenges
in operationalising them. A comprehensive
3 SDG #1 is “End poverty in all its forms everywhere”. SDG #2 is “End
hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote
sustainable agriculture”. SDG #15 is “Protect, restore, and promote
sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests,
combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt
biodiversity loss”.
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