Climate Change Resilience
3 July 2013, Nadi, Fiji - The 4th Pacific Climate Change Roundtable opened today in Denarau, Fiji bringing together over 200 participants for the three day meeting, which focuses on the theme of building resilience to climate change through collaboration.
“Your participation is very important and critical. Equally crucial is the support of development partners,” said Mr. Amena Yauvoli, the Permanent Secretary for Fiji’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as he opened the biennial event.
The Pacific Climate Change Roundtable facilitates ongoing interaction among climate change stakeholders and serves as the platform from which to assess the progress made in implementing the Pacific Islands Framework for Action against Climate Change. It is also a valuable forum for sharing lessons learnt and reporting on new climate change initiatives such as the recently launched Pacific Climate Change Portal.
One of the aims of this year’s roundtable is to build a way forward for integrating the climate change community with the disaster risk reduction community and to feed this into the Joint Meeting of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management and the Pacific Climate Change Round Table from 8 – 11 July.
“The world is watching and our series of meetings sends a clear message that we must integrate our responses if we are to effectively address the challenges of climate change and natural disasters in this century,” said Mr. David Sheppard, Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
“Your participation is very important and critical. Equally crucial is the support of development partners,” said Mr. Amena Yauvoli, the Permanent Secretary for Fiji’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as he opened the biennial event.
The Pacific Climate Change Roundtable facilitates ongoing interaction among climate change stakeholders and serves as the platform from which to assess the progress made in implementing the Pacific Islands Framework for Action against Climate Change. It is also a valuable forum for sharing lessons learnt and reporting on new climate change initiatives such as the recently launched Pacific Climate Change Portal.
One of the aims of this year’s roundtable is to build a way forward for integrating the climate change community with the disaster risk reduction community and to feed this into the Joint Meeting of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management and the Pacific Climate Change Round Table from 8 – 11 July.
“The world is watching and our series of meetings sends a clear message that we must integrate our responses if we are to effectively address the challenges of climate change and natural disasters in this century,” said Mr. David Sheppard, Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
This is the 4th PCCR to be coordinated by SPREP; in 2011 the PCCR established four working groups - adaptation and mainstreaming; mitigation; information and knowledge management; and resource mobilisation. During today’s discussions it was proposed that a fifth working group be established to focus on addressing what is referred to as Loss and Damage from slow onset and extreme climate events.
“I'm pleased to note each Working Group has made good progress over the last two years and we will hear more at this PCCR,” said Mr. Sheppard.
“As just one example, the Knowledge Management Working Group has been working intensively on improving the content, look and user-friendliness of the Pacific Climate Change Portal and there will be a demonstration during this event.”
For more information on the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable.
“I'm pleased to note each Working Group has made good progress over the last two years and we will hear more at this PCCR,” said Mr. Sheppard.
“As just one example, the Knowledge Management Working Group has been working intensively on improving the content, look and user-friendliness of the Pacific Climate Change Portal and there will be a demonstration during this event.”
For more information on the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable.