Challenges to Effective Implementation of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies in Developing Countries: A Systematic Literature Review

The impacts of climate change have intensified the global urgency for effective implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies in developing countries, where vulnerability is highest and implementation capacity is limited. The translation of climate policies into tangible outcomes in vulnerable communities remains weak and problematic despite growing investment from governments, international development agencies, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, and the private sector. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach was conducted using peer-reviewed literature to identify key challenges that development agencies and governments experience in implementing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Results were thematically synthesized into implementation challenges including limited financial resources and high investment costs, insufficient government support and weak political will, inadequate knowledge and climate information, limited institutional capacity and fragmented governance structures, poor stakeholder coordination, and sociocultural limitations. The review finds that these barriers are interconnected, with limited finances undermining institutional capacity, weak governance affecting stakeholder coordination, and inadequate knowledge contributing to implementation failures at multiple levels. The findings underscore the need for integrated and context-based implementation strategies to overcome implementation challenges. The review concludes by proposing directions for transformative governance reform, home-grown financing solutions, and adaptive project management approaches capable of sustaining climate action within the complex realities of developing countries.