2 February 2012 -- The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change recently carried out its second series of Cost Benefit Analyses Training with its Food Production and Food Security Sector countries.
The four day training was held in Suva, Fiji from the 24 – 27 January, and countries under the sector included Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Palau.
A cost-benefit analysis is a systematic process for calculating and comparing the benefits and costs of a project, decision or government policy.
"The primary purpose of conducting a CBA is to determine which project options will confer the greatest benefits for the Pacific island communities," said Aaron Buncle, Resource Economist for the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
"CBA is also an important part of ensuring that the member countries can develop evidence-based policy and project proposals needed to access international climate-change financing."
The need to include CBA into the PACC project was acknowledged by member countries at the 2nd PACC Multipartite Review meeting held in August 2011.
PACC PNG Coordinator, Mika Andrews (far left), and staff of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock conducting socioeconomic assessments in Kivori Village, PNG, under the Food Production and Food Security Sector
SPREP, in partnership with United Nations Development Programme, PACC Regional Manager Taito Nakalevu said the training helped participants understand the CBA concepts and processes taking into account climate change projections and how to consider climate change risks into the analyses they are carrying out at the pilot site level.
"There were a number of partners involved such as the Pacific Islands Applied Geosciences Commission under the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, GIZ (or Deutsche Gesellschaft fúr Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) and an independent consultant Mr Andrew MacGregor."
"The importance of their involvement is not only partnering with SPREP to deliver the training but also to provide ongoing technical assistance when needed by the countries."
The program is currently divided into two phase – the first will be on cost-benefit analysis of PACC demonstration projects which is currently underway, and the second phase will focus on sector level economic analysis of climate change adaptation.
The last series of training will be held next week in Apia, Samoa for the Coastal Zone Management Sector member countries, this include Federated States of Micronesia, Cook Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu and Tokelau.
The PACC Project consists of 14 member countries; it is implemented by the United Nations Development Program in partnership with the SPREP. It is funded by the Global Environment Facility and the Australian Agency for International Development with support from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research Climate Change Capacity Development Programme.