China is already significantly impacted by climate change as it experiences higher warming rates than the global average, and extreme climate events are getting more frequent and stronger. This climate sensitivity makes climate adaptation not just important, but essential. A critical component of any effective adaptation strategy is a strong monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. M&E enables governments and institutions to systematically track climate risks, evaluate the effectiveness of adaptation measures, guide the allocation of resources, and revise policies based on new data and lessons learned. It ensures that climate adaptation is evidence-based, responsive, and targeted, strengthening the entire adaptation policy cycle from planning to implementation and review.
To support the construction of an M&E framework for climate adaptation in China, a workshop was held in July 2025, hosted by GIZ in cooperation with the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC) and the Chinese National Climate Center (NCC). The workshop provided a platform for expert exchange among policymakers and research institutions, with the aim of advancing national adaptation M&E efforts. Participants discussed international best practices in M&E frameworks, reviewed and provided feedback on recent research findings by NCSC and NCC, and explored ways to ensure the scientific rigor and practical feasibility of proposed methodologies and recommendations for China’s adaptation monitoring system.
The workshop featured a presentation by NCSC on the development of a multi-level indicator framework for China. NCC presented preliminary findings from its ongoing study on operationalising an M&E framework aligned with China’s “National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035”. In addition, the German Environment Agency (UBA) gave an overview of the German strategies and mechanisms for monitoring adaptation. Following the presentations, the participants discussed how to further develop a strong and flexible M&E framework that supports climate resilience.
Toward a climate M&E framework for China
With the “National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035” and the “Action Plan on Early Warning for Climate Change Adaptation (2025-2027)” China has laid important foundations for climate resilience. At the provincial level, 30+ adaptation action plans have already been issued so far. Based on these NCSC is currently conducting a study which is analysing the indicators used to track climate impacts and adaptation responses across different levels of government.
As Dr. FU Lin, Associate Researcher at NCSC, pointed out, the goal is to develop a national adaptation indicator system that is both scalable nationwide and sensitive to regional climate vulnerabilities. The system should primarily rely on existing data collected by government agencies and institutions to ensure efficiency and avoid duplication. The system shall generate insights that can inform adaptation policies, guide the development of national reports and frameworks (e.g. NAS 2035 and monitoring), and support the operational work of relevant government departments in building climate resilience.
According to Qiu Shuang (NCC), China experienced a growing number of extreme weather events in 2025, including dust storms, strong winds, sudden temperature drops, rainstorms, droughts, and unseasonably high temperatures. These are only early signs of the intensifying risks posed by climate change, emphasizing the need for stronger climate adaptation strategies. As part of the Sino-German Climate Change Cooperation – NDC Implementation project, NCC is conducting a study to support the development of the M&E framework for climate adaptation in China. The study analyses more than a decade of German experience with adaptation policy, monitoring and evaluation to draw lessons for China’s context.
A panel of Chinese and international experts provided feedback to the interim research findings presented by NCSC and NCC.
- Dr. CHEN Ying, Researcher at the Research Institute for Eco-Civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), emphasized the need to align national indicators with local socio-economic realities to improve policy uptake and local relevance.
- Prof. CHEN Minpeng, from the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, highlighted the importance of embedding adaptation indicators into broader rural and regional development planning.
- Mr. ZHU Yongchang, Senior Engineer at the Institute of Meteorological Development and Planning, China Meteorological Administration (CMA), stressed the role of climate services and data integration in improving the accuracy and policy utility of adaptation M&E.
- Dr. YU Rong, Associate Researcher at the Institute of Global Change and Polar Research, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, contributed insights on harmonising adaptation metrics with existing scientific monitoring frameworks.
- Dr. Rosanne Martyr, Senior Scientist at Climate Analytics, shared international experiences with theory-based evaluation frameworks and underscored the importance of iterative, learning-based M&E processes in complex climate systems.
Experts emphasized that making China’s adaptation M&E system effective requires actively linking national indicators to local development needs and integrating them with existing climate data and monitoring systems. They further called for stronger use of reliable, science-based information on climate impacts and responses to guide policy decisions and drive continuous learning and improvement within the M&E framework.
Germany’s adaptation strategy in practice: from indicators to impact
To complement the Chinese perspectives, UBA presented Germany’s approach to adaptation monitoring and evaluation. Dr. Petra van Rüth explained that Germany adopted its first German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (DAS) in 2008, followed by two progress reports (2015, 2020) and three national monitoring reports (2015, 2019, 2023). In parallel, Germany conducted two national climate impact and vulnerability assessments (2015 and 2021) and released four Adaptation Action Plans (APA I–IV) detailing concrete government measures to strengthen climate resilience. A major milestone came in 2023 with the adoption of the Climate Adaptation Act (Klimaanpassungsgesetz, KAnG), which established legally binding requirements for regular monitoring, evaluation, and strategy updates. Building on this legal foundation, the 2024 update of the DAS introduced, for the first time, measurable targets and indicators across all action fields, further reinforcing Germany’s commitment to a structured and accountable adaptation process.
M&E plays a central role in the adaptation policy cycle informing the refinement of strategies and measures. Effective monitoring depends on reliable data covering the current climate conditions, observed impacts, as well as government responses. Germany’s system is built on close cooperation with around 50 federal and state authorities and scientific institutions, involving approximately 400 experts across sectors.
The most recent DAS Monitoring Report, published in 2023, includes 117 indicators covering climate developments, observed impacts, and societal responses across 16 action fields. These indicators are deliberately formulated to be clear, transparent, and accessible to a broad audience, supporting both public communication and policymaking. While Germany has made significant progress in institutionalising adaptation monitoring, key challenges remain, including data gaps in specific sectors, the heterogeneous quality of available data, and the technical and institutional complexity of digitalising M&E systems. To address these, Germany continues to invest in inter-agency collaboration, scientific coordination, and knowledge exchange at national and international levels.
Fostering international cooperation for effective climate adaptation
The workshop reaffirmed the importance of continued exchange across national borders and institutions, especially in the field of M&E for climate adaptation. Germany and China share a common goal: protecting people and ecosystems through effective adaptation. Robust M&E systems are essential to achieving this goal, as they provide the evidence base needed to guide decisions and ensure that adaptation measures deliver tangible results.
The workshop and related activities are part of the Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change – NDC implementation project, a bilateral cooperation project which is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), cooperating with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China (MEE). It is jointly implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and China’s National Centre for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC).
