CRiSTAL was applied in four field project sites located in 3 agroecological zones of Zambia, as part of an IUCN climate change adaptation pilot project. The information collected with CRiSTAL was communicated to decision-makers to complete Zambia’s NAPA. This pilot project led to a full-size IUCN climate change adaptation project in Eastern and Southern Africa, focusing on the role of forest and water resources in climate change adaptation.

As part of the UNITAR project called C3D+ (Capacity Development for Adaptation to Climate Change and GHG Mitigation and Non-Annex I Countries) , IISD applied CRiSTAL in Western Province, Zambia, in July 2009. The objectives were to improve the capacity of local non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations to gather local information on climate change vulnerability and adaptation and integrate this information into project design and management.