National target 10: By 2020, potential impacts of climate change on vulnerable ecosystems identified and adaptation measures strengthened.

National target 10: By 2020, potential impacts of climate change on vulnerable ecosystems identified and adaptation measures strengthened.

Although adaptation to climate change cuts across almost all the targets and actions are reflected accordingly in targets 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15; target 10 is identified separately with specific focus on enhancing understanding of the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems. Currently, apart from a few scattered studies and community perceptions, there is still a huge gap in research and understanding on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems in the country. This drawback has been recognised and actions to address this issue prioritised in national documents such as Biodiversity persistence and climate change, 2011 and the Second National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Short-term adaptation measures have been implemented through the National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) under UNFCCC. Therefore, this target underscores, first, the need for strengthening national efforts in understanding the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems at the country level, and second, for enhancing resilience and adding value to regional and international efforts.