This Manual has been developed through a series of case studies undertaken within all the regions of Uganda, with UNDP collaborating with government agencies and institutions including; Ministry of Water and Environment, and the Office of the Prime Minister. Various consultations from international humanitarian organizations, and Civil Society Organizations also supported the effort in varying measures.

The Manual provides a framework for managing increased climate change risks in Uganda which seem to affect national institutions, local governments and all actors in natural resources due to climate change impacts. The prime focus of the manual is on the initial needs assessments and prioritization identified as climate change risks. It aims to help local government departments to:

specify risks related to climate change impacts;
prioritize risks that require further attention;
establish a process for ensuring that these higher priority risks are managed in time and effectively.
Needs assessment of the climate risks has to be undertaken by trained technical personnel who have gained sound professional knowledge of all the environment and natural resource components; and their relevant interactions with institutions, together with a general understanding of the directions and magnitudes of climate change risks.