PCCR, Niue: The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) Project is seen as one of the first projects moving into actual implementation on the ground, and can be set as a framework to deliver adaptation actions in the Pacific.
The 13 million dollar project formally introduced in 2005 is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Speaking to delegates at the recent Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (PCCR) in Niue, SPREP PACC Project Manager, Taito Nakalevu says, "PACC can be a framework to deliver adaptation actions on the ground as we move from projects to building it up into a programmatic approach. All the building blocks are now in place; we have Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) that are already in place with governments, we have focal and implementing agencies that are already in place, steering committees, coordinators, core teams, we have reporting and administration support and technical support that are in place."
He added that these arrangements already exist at the national level, and for other funding coming in can use the same system as the PACC Project to move implementation on the ground rather than building a new one.
With 13 member countries, the Project is engaged with various partners that provide additional resources, for example, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), funds the Project's Communications Coordinator that provides the needed support on the communications aspect of PACC.
The Project works closely with the Pacific Adaptation Strategies Assistance Programme (PASAP), Pacific Climate Change Science Programme (PCCSP) of International Commission for Agricultural Industries (ICAI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Secretariat of the Pacific Community which includes the Pacific Islands Applied Geosciences Commission (SOPAC).
Seven PACC National Coordinators made presentations at the Roundtable side-event showcasing their experience of PACC as the framework for implementation of adaptation actions in the region. Niue, PACC National Coordinator Hayden Talagi: "We have developed our Niue Climate Change Policy in January 2010. We also have in place our Joint National Action Plan (JNAP) on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) with the assistance of SPREP and SOPAC."
Tonga, PACC National Project Officer Saia Kami: "For our demonstration component, we do Site-Specific Assessments to go deeper into what is really happening in the community, we do Socioeconomics Assessment and the Water Distribution System and Water Monitoring and we have done reports that can be viewed on our website."
Tuvalu, PACC National Coordinator Loia Tausi: "We have done Water Quality Survey, Consumption Surveys, and we have engaged the community in trying to assess their vulnerability status and for them to assist us in coming up with the best adaptation option they find most suitable for them."
The call for collaboration with existing projects is continually encouraged by SPREP and the PACC Project.
Federated State of Micronesia, PACC National Coordinator Abraham Simpson: "Our hope is to replicate the (PACC) project throughout FSM; we are hoping that in this roundtable meeting we will identify some donors, because we all know this is the first time ever we are doing some physical adaptation work under GEF."