Eleven developing countries in the Pacific region joined the UNFCCC regional training workshop on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) for the Pacific region held in Nadi from 10 to 13 July, 2017.
The four-day training workshop is hosted by the Government of Fiji through the Ministry of Economy and organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Least Developed Countries Experts Group (LEG) and the NAP technical working group.
The LEG has been providing technical guidance and support on adaptation to the least developed countries since 2001, and is the group mandated by the UNFCCC to develop technical guidelines for the formulation and implementation of NAPs. The NAP technical working group includes experts from various UN and non-governmental organizations working with the LEG to provide comprehensive support on NAPs.
This training workshop is specifically designed to enhance the national capacities of the participating countries to address climate vulnerabilities and risks through the formulation of NAPs, as the main vehicle for adaptation including for accessing climate finance.
Participants are being trained on how to formulate their country’s National Adaptation Plan through the identification and application of relevant approaches, methods and tools for risk, vulnerability, and adaptation assessments. A special feature of the workshop is on the LEG’s latest guidance to countries called NAP-SDG iFrame. An integrative approach to assessment which shows how NAPs can serve as a vehicle for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as targets under other international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Reduction.
“There are four least developed countries in the Pacific that are also small island states. This combination makes them highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, affecting their efforts towards development. This workshop will assist the developing island states in this region to formulate their National Adaptation Plans, by looking at key systems material towards achieving climate resilient development”, says Mr. Brian Phillips, the LEG member from the small island developing States.
The workshop brought along the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility, United Nations and other international organizations and regional organizations providing support to the countries on national adaptation plans, to interact with the countries.
“The Paris Agreement has affirmed the critical importance of adaptation and has established clear financial support for the formulation and implementation of NAPs through the Green Climate Fund, as well as other relevant sources. Implementation of the NAPs will directly support the achievement of national ambitions set out in Nationally Determined Contributions”, says Dr. Paul Desanker of the UNFCCC, leading the UN team supporting the LEG and the international workshop.
Fiji is the official Presidency of the upcoming 23rd Conference of the Parties, COP 23, which will take place in Bonn, Germany.
