Mozambique implements and expands program to strengthen climate adaptation

Around 65% of the projects were selected by women, and community participation contributed to the creation of local jobs and the strengthening of resilient livelihoods

In Mozambique, floods, cyclones, and droughts constantly threaten development; this initiative aims to strengthen the country’s climate resilience through investments led by local governments. 

Mozambique, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change in Africa, faces structural challenges exacerbated by economic shocks, conflict, and extreme weather events.  

To address these risks and protect development gains, the country has opted for a decentralized model of climate adaptation, integrating climate finance into national and local planning and budgeting systems. 

The LoCAL program supports climate adaptation.

The Government of Mozambique, with support from the United Nations Development Fund (UNCDF), implemented the “Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility” (LoCAL) program, with the aim of improving climate resilience by strengthening local governments’ access to performance-based financing.  

LoCAL was launched in 2014 as a climate finance program designed by UNCDF and implemented in Mozambique through the Ministries of Economy and Finance and Land and Environment. 

The program currently operates in seven provinces: Gaza, Inhambane, Nampula, Niassa, Zambézia, Cabo Delgado, and Sofala, and aims to improve climate resilience by strengthening local governments’ access to performance-based financing. 

LoCAL utilizes performance-based climate resilience grants, integrated into existing planning, budgeting, and investment processes at the local level.  

To access the funds, subnational authorities must meet minimum criteria, including climate risk assessments and the integration of climate adaptation into development plans in a participatory and gender-sensitive manner. 

Results and impact on vulnerable communities 

By 2024, the program had directly benefited more than 3 million people through the implementation of over 100 climate-adapted infrastructure projects, including health centers, maternity wards, schools, water supply systems, and desalination plants.  

Around 65% of the projects were selected by women, and community participation contributed to the creation of local jobs and the strengthening of resilient livelihoods. 

In response to the results achieved, the Government requested the expansion of LoCAL nationwide in 2022. By 2024, the program covered 54 of the country’s 154 districts and 7 of its 65 municipalities, with climate adaptation planning activities in nine of the 11 provinces.  

Over US$30 million has been mobilized in performance-based grants and capacity building, contributing to the institutionalization of climate adaptation and the strengthening of decentralized governance. 

Integration into national planning and public finance systems 

LoCAL supports the annual planning and budgeting cycles of local governments through existing fiscal systems, with performance evaluations that guide the future allocation of resources and technical support. 

A monitoring and evaluation system allows lessons learned at the local level to inform national policies, promoting the integration of climate considerations at all stages of public finance management. 

Mozambique’s experience with LoCAL is a case study of transforming climate vulnerabilities into development opportunities. 

It presents a scalable model for decentralized climate finance, based on community leadership, performance criteria, and alignment with national systems, strengthening the country’s capacity to address climate risks and support local development. 

Source: APO