Empowering effective adaptation planning with Pacific LDCs
UNDP and UN Environment, through the GEF-funded NAP-GSP, are empowering effective climate change decision-making for least developed countries (LDCs) in the Pacific, to enhance resilience.
- - Government representatives from ministries of environment, planning and finance from Pacific LDCs met in Tuvalu to assess their climate change adaptation options and prepare to access adaptation finance
28 January 2019, Funafuti, Tuvalu: Policymakers and planners in the Pacific are facing vast challenges due to the threats from climate change. For least developed countries in the Pacific, the acute regional vulnerability is combined with their low institutional and financial capacity to adapt and respond.
Representatives of Pacific Island least developed country governments attended a Regional Workshop held by the joint UNDP-UN Environment National Adaptation Plan Global Support Programme (NAP-GSP) on how to appraise climate change adaptation options and access climate finance, from 28-30 January 2019 in Tuvalu.
With the goal to strengthen their national adaptation planning, the workshop focussed on the application of technical tools and methods for selecting priority actions to reduce vulnerability, and build their capacity to access adaptation finance.
When the challenge is vast, and the resources are limited, prioritisation of the many adaptation options is key. Prioritising climate change options means making tough and strategic decisions about where and when to invest finite resources. This workshop provided an opportunity for Pacific LDCs to share knowledge about climate change prioritisation and adaptation finance. By improving their ability to access adaptation finance, they are empowered to address urgent adaptation actions - to improve coastal zone management and strengthen food and water security.
The workshop was an activity under the NAP-GSP, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). It was facilitated by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and experts from other organisations and the Pacific region.
As the lead regional coordinating agency with respect to climate change in the region, SPREP supported this initiative to help strengthen the resilience of the Pacific LDCs.
The workshop covered various aspects of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), adaptation policy and project preparation, resource mobilisation and prioritisation - amongst other topics.
For nations of the Pacific facing diverse and potentially devastating climate change impacts, building capacity for informed decision making is vital. Adaptation actions and decisions taken now will directly affect how viable life in the Pacific LDCs will be in the near future.
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The joint UNDP-UN Environment National Adaptation Plan Global Support Programme (NAP-GSP), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), assists least developed and developing countries to identify technical, institutional and financial needs to integrate climate change adaptation into medium and long-term national planning and financing. The programme supports the process to formulate and implement National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In doing so, the NAP-GSP works with development partners to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions and promotes ambitious climate action in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.