The overall objective of the Global Adaptation Network (GAN) is to help build climate resilience of vulnerable communities, ecosystems and economies through the mobilization of knowledge for adaptation.The GAN has three main areas of work:1. Improving the availability and accessibility of knowledge through online portals, global knowledge-sharing events, and knowledge products2. Building capacity for using knowledge for global adaptation policy-setting, planning and practices through training events, advisory services and institutional support3. Linking regional and thematic adaptation networks, providing them support, and catalysing the establishment of further networksThe GAN, together with the regional networks, aims to build bridges between already existing adaptation networks and knowledge management initiatives, and to complement the services offered through its focus on the provision of integrated knowledge sources and targeted support and advisory services. It also provides a platform for facilitating access to knowledge services provided by other networks and initiatives.

Regional adaptation networks are the building blocks of the Global Adaptation Network. Currently there are three regional networks linked to the GAN that are operational: the Regional Gateway for Technology Transfer and Climate Change Action (REGATTA) in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN), and the West Asia Regional Network on Climate Change (WARN-CC). The Africa Adaptation Knowledge Network is in the process of being established. The Global Adaptation Network forms a light umbrella structure, linking the regional networks and helping them to exchange knowledge, experiences and lessons learnt.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Asian Development Bank (ADB) Japan United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Stockholm Environment Institute Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) The Environmental Innovators program, Keio University (Japan) Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Climate Action Network for South Asia (CANSA) Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) Global Water Partnership (GWP) International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Spain Norway Sweden Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Instituto de Investigaciones Eléctricas International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Universidad Nacional de Formosa, Desarrollo Participación y Ciudadaní­a (Instituto Desarrollo) y Universidad de la Cordillera Fundación Torcuato Di Tella University of the West Indies (UWI) Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) African Development Bank (AFDB) African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) Common Market for Eastern & Southern Africa (COMESA) IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Use (SASSCAL) West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASSCAL) Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) ENDA Tiers Monde