Policy analysis to evaluate the German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (DAS)

The German adaptation strategy, adopted in 2008, is being implemented jointly by various ministries. To ensure that the implementation process runs optimally, an evaluation takes place every four years. In order to guarantee independence, the first evaluation was carried out by adelphi and CEval in 2015. This publication presents the results of this policy analysis and evaluation.

In 2008, a strategic framework for adapting to the consequences of climate change was created: the German Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change, or DAS. The adaptation strategy is being implemented by various ministries under the coordination of the Ministry of the Environment. This implementation process (the so-called “DAS process”) requires regular evaluation to present successes, identify weak points and make recommendations to further develop the adaptation strategy. This will improve adaptation in Germany, making direct contribution to reducing the vulnerability of the economy, the environment and society to the effects of climate change.

Demonstrating success for cause-and-effect relationships that are difficult to determine and quantify: methodology

adelphi developed its own methodology for evaluating the DAS process. It considers the complex structure of ongoing adaptation in Germany, which on the one hand runs between the federal and state levels, but also between the federal states themselves. The evaluation methodology was presented in a separate report: Methodology for the evaluation of the German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change.

The evaluation of the German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change was intended to determine whether the strategic approach of the evaluation itself was successful. The analysis consists of three sub-areas:

• The evaluation of the DAS process at the strategic level
• The evaluation of the implementation status of the adaptation measures at federal level
• The evaluation of the effect of the DAS on the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of natural, social and economic systems

How is the implementation of the DAS assessed? – core knowledge

What are the policy recommendations for the implementation of the DAS?

• The exchange between the federal ministries is already well established within the framework of an inter-ministerial working group. However, cross-departmental cooperation (e.g. joint implementation of measures) should increase so that climate change and adaptation are dealt with more across topics and action fields
• The adaptation to climate change must be given higher political priority so that the need for action is accepted in the ministries
• Measures must be defined in terms of central goals and climate impacts and better coordinated in order to take advantage of synergies
• Politically, the federal government should seek alliances with the federal states in order to initiate and implement joint strategic activities

The evaluation revealed that there are many committed actors who think and work across departmental boundaries in a way that creates synergies in policy and is shaped by departmental thinking. The recommendations of the policy analysis influenced the further implementation of the DAS. A new evaluation report is planned for 2024.