20 March 2022, Noumea - The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Agence française de développement (AFD) and the Fonds français pour l’environnement mondial (FFEM- The French Facility for Global Environment) have signed an agreement to fund the Pacific Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change Plus (PEBACC+) project, the second large regional project to be signed under the Kiwa Initiative.
The signing ceremony, hosted in Noumea by AFD on 11 March 2022, was undertaken by the Director General of SPREP, Mr. Kosi Latu and the Director General of Agence française de développement (AFD), Mr. Rémy Rioux, who also represented FFEM. Representatives from Kiwa Initiative donors were present: European Union Ambassador for the Pacific, Mr. Sujiro Seam; Australia’s Acting Consul-General in New Caledonia, Dr. Steven Barraclough; New Zealand Consul-General in New Caledonia, Ms. Felicity Roxburgh and other key dignitaries.
The first phase of PEBACC from 2015 to 2020, funded by the German Government International Climate Initiative (IKI), analysed climatic and non-climatic threats using an innovative approach that assessed ecosystem services, their resilience and inter-relationship with national and community development needs. The project worked with local communities to identify the most suitable and effective climate adaptation solutions, leading to the production of comprehensive master plans for decision makers and managers. The project took place in several pilot sites across Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
Now thanks to new funding of 4 million Euros from the Kiwa Initiative and 1.8 million Euros from FFEM, the project will be continued and extended to New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna. PEBACC+ will maintain and diversify existing activities, as well as incorporate ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) into public policies to ensure they are sustainable.
Director General Mr. Latu acknowledged the Kiwa Initiative, AFD and FFEM, assuring that SPREP is committed to implement the PEBACC+ and engage member countries and partners in its effective implementation.
“PEBACC+ is a very important project to strengthen, diversify, scale-up and sustain EbA in Pacific countries. I am excited about continuing the work to identify climate and non-climate change related threats to ecosystem and human resilience and ecosystem services, at national, provincial and local levels,” Mr. Latu said. “I am also pleased to note that part of the project will establish robust models that can be replicated in other countries and territories and in the Pacific region.”
Mr. Rioux noted that AFD and FFEM are delighted to support PEBACC+. “We must take urgent action to adapt to climate disruption at the global level, and particularly in Oceania. The Pacific is a treasure trove of unique land and marine ecosystems that need to be sustainably managed and protected,” he said. “Thanks to support provided by the Kiwa Initiative and the FFEM, the PEBACC+ project will be able to pursue its ecosystem management and protection initiatives to promote climate adaptation in Fiji, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands, while integrating New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna.”
Pacific island countries and territories are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to their isolation, dependence on natural resources, and significant exposure to climatic and non-climatic threats. In response, they face many challenges in sustaining vital ecosystem services that are essential to protect biodiversity, sustain marine resources; protect water resources by ensuring watershed health; supporting sustainable tourism; and fighting against invasive species.
About the Kiwa Initiative –
The Kiwa Initiative – Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate resilience aims to strengthen the climate resilience of ecosystems, communities, and economies in the Pacific Islands by using NbS to protect, restore, and sustainably manage biodiversity. It provides local or national authorities, civil society, and regional organizations in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories with simplified access to funding for climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation. The Initiative is funded by the European Union, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). It has established partnerships with the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Oceania regional office. For more information: www.kiwainitiative.org
About SPREP –
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme is the leading intergovernmental organization with a mandate to promote cooperation in the Pacific region, help protect and improve its environment, and ensure sustainable development for current and future generations. For more information: www.sprep.org
About FFEM –
The French Global Environment Facility promotes innovative solutions in the fields of environmental protection and sustainable socio-economic development in lower-income countries. It was created in 1994 by the French government following the first Earth Summit and has already supported more than 350 projects in over 120 countries (two-thirds of which are in Africa). The projects it supports contribute to preserving biodiversity, the climate, international waters, land and the ozone layer and combat chemical pollution. The FGEF's particularity: to focus on pilot projects in order to learn from them and disseminate their innovations on a larger scale. For more information: https://www.ffem.fr/en