10 May 2024, Apia Samoa - A day after the decision was made to bring back the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (PCCR) to be held biennially from 2025, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has taken another step to promote discussions on using the platform to further advance national climate change priorities, by convening a Donor and Development Partners Climate Finance Dialogue.
The one-day meeting at Taumeasina Island Resort is attended by national focal points of SPREP member countries. They used the opportunity to flag some of their climate change priorities with potential donors and development partners present.
The officials have been at Taumeasina for the past three days working hard to carve out the path for the PCCR going forward, with the goal of using the Roundtable as a platform to address their climate change needs.
The Director General of SPREP, Mr Sefanaia Nawadra, welcomed all the delegates and spoke about the importance of the gathering. He reminded that Pacific Leaders have continuously acknowledged Climate Change as the single greatest threat to the Pacific region, as is reflected in the Kainaki II and Boe Declarations.
The decision to revive the PCCR, as a platform for sharing regional knowledge and advancing regional climate change aims in a coordinated and collaborative way, is a key part of efforts to address climate change.
“During the past two days, parties discussed the roles and objectives of the PCCR, they also discussed how they wanted to see the PCCR become a platform for connecting the climate needs and aspirations of our region to the donors and investment partners who can assist in realising their aims,” Mr Nawadra said.
“They agreed to the ongoing inclusion of space for engagement with donors and partners as an integral component throughout each PCCR and they sought to encourage donors and partners to coordinate effective responses to the identified finance needs and priorities at ongoing PCCR meetings.
“Today is a key step in that journey. We are here to engage on how we can more effectively share experiences and collaborate more effectively to deliver enhanced climate finance related resource mobilisation and access for our Pacific communities.”
The Asian Development Bank was amongst the donors and development partners present.
Mr Jeffrey Bowyer, Senior Climate Change Specialist said: “This is a great opportunity for donors, partners and countries to gather and engage in these important conversations, to coordinate and better support the needs of the communities we exist to serve.
“I applaud the efforts by SPREP through the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable, in coordination with the Regional Programmatic Approach for Climate Action, to better coordinate support for countries and communities in the region in the effort to address climate change.”
The Pacific communities are hard-hit by the economic, social, and environmental costs of climate change. Despite the region’s less than 0.02 per cent contribution to the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions, Pacific Island countries are at the frontline of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
Climate change related disasters such as floods and droughts are leading to displacement of people, while biodiversity, which underpins development in the Islands is under threat. An increasing consumer-based way of life is also contributing to pollution in the Pacific.
According to the Director General, the decision to bring back the PCCR completes the array of roundtables SPREP requires to service its mandate to promote cooperation in the Pacific region and provide assistance in order to protect and improve its environment and to ensure sustainable for present and future generations.
“As I have already alluded to, we’ve had a very fruitful discussion during the past two days on the PCCR and the way forward. I am glad you are here today so that you can now hear some of the priorities from countries that we need to match with the resources needed to be able to address climate change in the region,” said Mr Nawadra.
Mr Nawadra acknowledged the support of the Government of France through the Fonds Pacifique and the Government of New Zealand through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for making the PCCR possible.
The Pacific Climate Change Roundtable is held from 8 – 10 May in Samoa. It is attended by the Governments of American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, and Vanuatu along with Council of the Regional Organisations of the Pacific partners – Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Pacific Community.
This meeting was made possible with the support of the Government of France through the Fonds Pacifique and the Government of New Zealand through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. For further information please visit: https://www.sprep.org/pacific-climate-change-roundtable