“In order to implement effective mitigation actions, one needs to have a common understanding of what they are, and how they can be supported by domestic and international policy. Hence a set of working definitions is helpful. To date there is no broadly accepted definition of the Mitigation Action (MA), Low Carbon Development Strategies (LCDS) and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) concepts despite their generalized use. A common understanding at MAPS community level of these terms, and their subtle differences and diversity, has been requested. This common understanding is considered beneficial for the purpose of enabling implementation thanks to effective design processes. This memo provides an overview of current interpretations and builds a common framework for the use of these concepts among MAPS practitioners. Such a proposal should not be seen as an imposition of terminology to the MAPS country processes, but hopefully will prove to be useful at country level too. Lastly, this work within MAPS aspires to inspire the broader climate and development community towards effective design and implementation of climate mitigation policies.”
