Africa stands at a critical crossroads where climate change is not just an environmental challenge but a profound security imperative. Increasingly frequent droughts, floods, and water stress are fueling instability and conflict across the Sahel and Horn of Africa, with far-reaching consequences for regional and global peace. Adaptation is no longer a distant development goal—it is central to safeguarding stability, resilience, and security.

In 2025, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) built upon the success of the Pilot Youth Academy on Climate Adaptation and Leadership by hosting the Pan-African Youth Academy on Climate Adaptation and Leadership, a training-of-trainers program designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge to replicate climate adaptation training in their home countries.

This Adaptation Insights builds on GCA technical assistance to integrate green and grey adaptation measures into large-scale infrastructure investment programs under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program. It further draws on advanced research conducted by the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, in partnership with GCA, on the application of spatial analytics and financial frameworks to scale nature-based solutions for transport infrastructure resilience globally (Scaling Investments for NbS: GCA portal). The observations presented reflect cumulative evidence and experience derived from collaboration with multilateral development banks and implementation partners engaged in mainstreaming climate adaptation within infrastructure planning and finance.

This guideline is prepared by the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), in collaboration with the World Bank and the Kenya State Department of Housing and Urban Development to support the implementation of the Second Kenya Urban Support Program (KUSP-II).

This technical brief examines the critical intersection of Africa’s growing solar PV investments and climate resilience. With nearly 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lacking electricity access and solar PV investments reaching $36.6 billion in 2023, the continent faces both enormous opportunity and significant climate-related risks to energy infrastructure.

This year’s Stories of Resilience redefines true progress as a measure of the systems transformed over outputs delivered. Drawing on global examples and lessons on inclusive funding, philanthropy, and justice, it underscores how aligning local priorities with national governance and finance can drive lasting change.

Five years ago, a simple Call to Action sparked a Youth Adaptation movement. The achievements laid out in this publication are a powerful testament to all the young people, decision-makers, and experts who have supported the youth agenda over the past five years.

Across the globe, young leaders have stepped forward for the Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day to shape how nations plan, finance, and deliver climate adaptation. Building on the Guide to Organizing Youth Consultations on Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans, this report captures the strategic insights emerging from youth-led consultations around the world. These insights can strengthen national policies and drive global action on adaptation.

The Index assesses 54 African countries across three pillars—Economy, Policy and Finance—to create a comprehensive picture of national and regional resilience and introduces a new metric, Gross Resilient Product (GRP), which estimates the share of GDP not exposed to climate shocks.