EC Delegation

For the Pacific

Addressing the Challenges

of Climate Change in the
Pacific Region

Nadi , 12-14 October 2010

ADB Regional Workshop
Responding to Climate Change in the Pacific

Delegation of the European Union

for the Pacific
 EC Delegation
Overview For the Pacific

1. The Challenge of Climate Change in the

Pacific Context
2. The EU response: Ongoing and Future
Programmes
3. Ways Forward: The Joint Pacific-EU
Initiative on Climate Change

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 EC Delegation
1. The Challenge For the Pacific

• Climate Change poses a serious threat in the

Pacific region. Small islands states are
particularly vulnerable to:
– Extreme weather events (ex. Cyclones and floods);
– Sea level rise, salt-water intrusion and land loss;
– Coastal erosion;
– Drought;
– Coral bleaching and reduction of biodiversity;
– Spread of invasive species affecting food security.

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 EC Delegation
1. The Challenge For the Pacific

• IPCC Observed Trends for the Pacific:

– Ocean surface and island air temperature have

increased by 0.6 to 1.0°C since 1910
throughout most parts of the South Pacific.

– Current sea level rise: varies within the region,

average estimates for whole Pacific region:
+0.77 to +1.6 mm/yr.

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 EC Delegation
1. The Challenge For the Pacific

• Difficulty to assess accurately the future impact of

Climate Change in PICs due to:
– Uncertainty associated with global CC projections and
their local validity;
– Lack of detailed scientific data and understanding of
climate processes at country level.

• BUT well-known “local change drivers”:

– Urbanisation;
– Increase in demand for natural resources;
– Ecological footprint of economic activities.
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 EC Delegation
1. The Challenge For the Pacific

• Lack of capacity and resources to mainstream

adaptation measures into national development
planning and local decision-making processes is a
serious issue for most PICs.
• The poorest communities are the most at risk and
the hardest hit.
• Concrete effects of climate change are already
observable in PICs and have already forced
difficult life changes on people

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 EC Delegation
1. The Challenge For the Pacific

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 EC Delegation
1. The Challenge For the Pacific

Springtide in the atoll islands.

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 EC Delegation
Overview For the Pacific

1. The Challenge of Climate Change in the

Pacific Context
2. The EU response: Ongoing and Future
Programmes
3. Ways Forward: The Joint Pacific-EU
Initiative on Climate Change

8
2. The EU Response- OngoingEC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• Disaster Risk Reduction Programme

9th EDF ‘B’ envelope (8 PACPs) EUR 9.2 M
(SOPAC)
Focusing on two main areas:
– Resilience to drought: Nauru, Tuvalu, RMI and
Tonga;
– Emergency operation centres and early
warning systems: PNG, SI, FSM and Palau.

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2. The EU Response- OngoingEC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• Reducing Vulnerability Programme

8th and 9th EDF (14 PACPs) EUR 9.55 M
(SOPAC)
– Improved water resource management;
– Alternative sources of aggregates for
construction (sustainable mining and
legislation);
– Hazard mitigation and risk management tools
(coastal modelling and urban planning).

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2. The EU Response- OngoingEC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• Natural Disaster Facility

9th EDF (Intra-ACP) EUR 1.86 M (SOPAC)
– Disaster policy and planning – Development of
National Action Plans;
– Training and capacity development;
– Regional information database (coordinate and
facilitate DRM activities at regional level).

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2. The EU Response- OngoingEC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• Capacity building related to Multilateral

Environmental Agreements (MEAs)
9th EDF Intra-ACP (Tot. EUR 19.5 M /EUR 3
M for CC in the Pacific)
- To enhance capacity of ACP countries to participate and
fulfil their obligations under MEAs;
- Climate Change: one of the 3 top priorities for action
- Regional hub for the Pacific hosted by SPREP.

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2. The EU Response- OngoingEC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• GCCA Vanuatu (EUR 3.2 M) - two

components:
– Capacity development for integration of
Climate Change Vulnerability into
development plans and policies;
– Co-financing with GEF (through the WB) under
the UNFCCC Least Developed Countries Fund
for the implementation of the Vanuatu NAPA.

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2. The EU Response- OngoingEC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• GCCA (Intra ACP- 40 M)- EUR 8 M for the Pacific:

– Contribution Agreement to be signed with USP
following 2009 Decision.
– Focus of the project is on three areas:
• Capacity development;
• Community engagement and adaptive action;
• Applied research.
– Project also thereby supporting the Pacific Islands
Framework for Action on Climate Change (PIFACC).

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2. The EU Response- Future EC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• GCCA – Increasing resilience of Pacific Small

Islands States (SIS) EUR 11.4 M

- To assist SIS (Cook Islands, Kiribati, RMI, FSM, Nauru,

Niue, Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu) in mainstreaming CC in
policies, planning processes and national budgets
(development of CC ‘Roadmaps’);
- To assist SIS in developing and implementing concrete
adaptation actions (pilot projects);
- To strengthen capacity of regional organisations as
support providers for national adaptation actions in PICs;
(1/2)

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2. The EU Response- Future EC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

- To strengthen regional organisations’ capacity to promote

and prepare for the establishment of a new and efficient
aid delivery mechanism for CC in the Pacific;

- To help in preparing countries towards increased budget

support assistance at national level

- Project forms part of the Pacific-EU Joint Initiative on CC

- Implementation Partner: SPC
- Project is currently at HQ in the ‘approval circuit’
(2/2)

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2. The EU Response- Future EC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• 2009 Call for Proposals: ‘Food Security Thematic

Programme’
- SPC project proposal: Adapting clonally propagated crops
to climatic and commercial changes
- Creating a network of organisations (universities and R&D
institutes) around the world
- To better understand the genetic basis for adaptability to
climate change of an underutilised food crop (taro)
- Improve links between research and extension (in
particular for smallholder farmers and women)
- EU contribution: EUR 3M (Contract to be signed by 31.12)

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2. The EU Response- Future EC Delegation
For the Pacific
Programs

• 2009 Call for Proposals: ‘Thematic Program for

Environment, Natural Resources and Energy’

- Proposal by Live and Learn Environmental Education:

Pilot effective models for governance and implementation
of REDD IN SIS to provide equitable benefits to forest
dependent local and indigenous communities
- Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and PNG
- EU contribution : EUR 1.6 M
- Contract to be signed by 31.12.2010

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 EC Delegation
Overview For the Pacific

1. The Challenge of Climate Change in the

Pacific Context
2. The EU response: Ongoing and Future
Programmes
3. Ways Forward: The Joint Pacific-EU
Initiative on Climate Change

19
 EC Delegation
3. Ways forward For the Pacific

• Climate Change is high on the international political

agendas.
• In Copenhagen, the EU and its 27 MS have pledged to
delivering a fast-start funding of EUR 7.2 Billion
between 2010 and 2012 for immediate action on CC in
developing countries, esp. most vulnerable ones.
• The bulk of this funding will be channelled bilaterally.
• The Pacific is generally recognised as one of the areas
most vulnerable to the devastating effects of CC.
Way Forward 1: To increase the absorption capacity of
PICs at national level, by enhancing their eligibility to
budget support.

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 EC Delegation
3. Ways forward For the Pacific

• Large number of donors in the region.

• Large number of Climate Change projects/programs.
• Climate Change is by nature a cross-cutting theme.
• Coordination among donors in the region has been
inadequate:
- Formal coordination (PCCR): Has not yielded expected
results.
- Informal coordination (DPCC): Good but insufficient.
Way Forward 2: To increase coordination among
donors and to strengthen the capacity of relevant
regional organisations (such as SPREP and SPC).

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 EC Delegation
3. Ways forward For the Pacific

The EU-Pacific Joint Initiative on Climate Change

- To take forward and strengthen the existing
partnerships between PACP States and the EU
(building on the 2008 Joint Declaration on CC);
- To mobilise and coordinate international efforts on
Climate Change in the Pacific region;
- To accelerate PACPs eligibility to Budget Support;
- To support regional organisations in their efforts to
better meet the needs and serve the interests of PICs,
and to better coordinate and facilitate access to donor
funding on Climate Change;
(1/2)

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 EC Delegation
3. Ways forward For the Pacific

The EU-Pacific Joint Initiative on Climate Change

- To support regional efforts in defining and establishing
the most appropriate and efficient regional aid
delivery modality for Climate Change

To conclude: the JI will bring about enhanced political

dialogue, better coordination among stakeholders, and
more efficient systems for financing Climate Change
actions in the Pacific
- MoU to be signed by the European Commission and
the Pacific Forum Secretariat
(2/2)

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 EC Delegation
Thank You! For the Pacific

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