Climate Change Resilience
The Adaptation Fund has dedicated more than USD 232 million to increase climate resilience in 40 countries around the world. None of these include countries from the Pacific islands.
To help address this, special workshop was held this month bringing regional representatives together to learn more about the Adaptation Fund, the project cycle and the adaptation fund application process.
The Adaptation Fund was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are parties to the Kyoto Protocol and are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
In December 2012 the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) was successfully accredited as a Regional Implementing Entity of this Fund one of three such agencies accredited around the world. One of its key roles it so support the Pacific island countries in gaining access to the fund.
"Pacific leaders have consistently raised concerns about the slow pace of delivery of climate finance and also the challenges for small island states of accessing, managing and monitoring climate and other forms of finance," said Mr. David Sheppard, Director-General of SPREP.
"This training is timely as it has a practical focus on building in country capacity to develop proposals to the Adaptation Fund."
The training aimed to help countries become familiar with the full Adaptation Fund proposal development cycle and be able to respond to each of the key components of the application process.
Sessions were held to help bring about an understanding of the Adaptation Fund resources and the role of SPREP as a National Implementing Agency and the processes required for countries to become NIE's.
Participants were also walked through the services and support available to the Pacific islands from the UNEP Climate Technology Centre and Network, and it is now hoped the results of this workshop will be evident with project proposals presented to the Adaptation Fund Board and the CTCN for review.
The six day training demonstrated the key theme of the UNSIDS conference, that being genuine and durable partnerships. The Adaptation Fund application process was a four day workshop followed by a two day workshop on the United Nations Environment Program Climate Technological Centre and Network.
"I am delighted that SPREP and our partners are 'walking the talk' by following up through this workshop on two of the key issues from the UNSIDS conference, sustainable partnerships and sustainable financing," said Mr. Sheppard.
"Thank you to all the partners and donors who have made this possible, it has been a real team effort."
Led by SPREP, these training activities brought together the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network known as APAN and the Ministry of Environment, Japan through their Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community through their European Union Global Climate Change Alliance, the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, UNEP through the Climate Technological Centre and Network. Additionally, in-kind support through the provision of resource people was provided through the Adaptation Fund and Green Climate Fund secretariats, respectively.
The one week workshop was attended by the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and was held at the SPREP Campus from 15 – 20 September, 2014. Additional participants came from the National University of Samoa; United Nations Development Program Samoa Country Programme and Samoan based non-governmental organisations.
To help address this, special workshop was held this month bringing regional representatives together to learn more about the Adaptation Fund, the project cycle and the adaptation fund application process.
The Adaptation Fund was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are parties to the Kyoto Protocol and are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
Pictured above: Participants at the training.
In December 2012 the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) was successfully accredited as a Regional Implementing Entity of this Fund one of three such agencies accredited around the world. One of its key roles it so support the Pacific island countries in gaining access to the fund.
"Pacific leaders have consistently raised concerns about the slow pace of delivery of climate finance and also the challenges for small island states of accessing, managing and monitoring climate and other forms of finance," said Mr. David Sheppard, Director-General of SPREP.
"This training is timely as it has a practical focus on building in country capacity to develop proposals to the Adaptation Fund."
The training aimed to help countries become familiar with the full Adaptation Fund proposal development cycle and be able to respond to each of the key components of the application process.
Sessions were held to help bring about an understanding of the Adaptation Fund resources and the role of SPREP as a National Implementing Agency and the processes required for countries to become NIE's.
Participants were also walked through the services and support available to the Pacific islands from the UNEP Climate Technology Centre and Network, and it is now hoped the results of this workshop will be evident with project proposals presented to the Adaptation Fund Board and the CTCN for review.
The six day training demonstrated the key theme of the UNSIDS conference, that being genuine and durable partnerships. The Adaptation Fund application process was a four day workshop followed by a two day workshop on the United Nations Environment Program Climate Technological Centre and Network.
"I am delighted that SPREP and our partners are 'walking the talk' by following up through this workshop on two of the key issues from the UNSIDS conference, sustainable partnerships and sustainable financing," said Mr. Sheppard.
"Thank you to all the partners and donors who have made this possible, it has been a real team effort."
Led by SPREP, these training activities brought together the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network known as APAN and the Ministry of Environment, Japan through their Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community through their European Union Global Climate Change Alliance, the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, UNEP through the Climate Technological Centre and Network. Additionally, in-kind support through the provision of resource people was provided through the Adaptation Fund and Green Climate Fund secretariats, respectively.
The one week workshop was attended by the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and was held at the SPREP Campus from 15 – 20 September, 2014. Additional participants came from the National University of Samoa; United Nations Development Program Samoa Country Programme and Samoan based non-governmental organisations.