Project News

On 26-27 May 2021, the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) hosted a Regional Dialogue inviting the SPREP members, research institutions, donors, private sector leaders and non-governmental organizations. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the PCCC has strengthened the Centre's four strategic functions, 1) knowledge brokerage, 2) capacity building through training and learning, 3) applied research and 4) innovation, using their existing partnership since its opening in September 2019. This event aimed to further strengthen their partnership through panel discussions on the PCCC's strategic functions.

The opening remarks were delivered by Leota Kosi Latu, Director General of the SPREP as well as the representatives of the Government of Samoa, Japan and New Zealand. H.E. Mr. Genichi Terasawa, Ambassador of Japan to Samoa acknowledged the efforts by Mr. Kosi Latu and the team of the SPREP and the PCCC in operationalizing and reinforcing the strategic functions of the Centre. Also, he noted the remarks of Prime Minister Suga of Japan during the Leaders Summit on Climate on 22 April that "Japan aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 46 percent in fiscal year 2030 from its fiscal year 2013 levels, setting an ambitious target which is aligned with the long-term goal of achieving net-zero by 2050".

The first session on "Capacity Building through training and learning" introduced the development of the PCCC E-learning Platform and the regional training programs delivered through the JICA's technical cooperation "Project on Project for Capacity Building on Climate Resilience in the Pacific (CBCRP-PCCC)".

Panel discussion on "Capacity Building through training and learning"

Moderator

• Mr. Fred Patison - Climate Change Finance Readiness Advisor, PCCC

Panelists

• Sala Dr Siaosi Carter, Research Fellow - Geopolitics and Regionalism, Dept of Pacific Affairs, College of Asia and the Pacific/ Co-Director/Convenor Pacific Studies, Australian National University
• Ms. Masako Ogawa - Chief Adviser, Project for Capacity Building on Climate Resilience in the Pacific - PCCC, JICA
• Speaker 3 - Ms. Chandra Legdesog, Project Manager Federated States of Micronesia Third National Communication & First Biennial Report to the UNFCCC

details

This panel discussion presented the current progress and future opportunities of the PCCC on capacity building through training and learning. Dr. Carter introduced the new PCCC E-learning Platform established in March 2021 to respond to growing needs of the online training due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Ogawa explained the themes and structure of the total 12 training programs under the CBCRP-PCCC, and presented the key figures, including over 200 participants nominated both from climate change and sectors relating departments for the past 5 training programs. Ms. Ledgesog mentioned the expectations for the PCCC especially to enhance access to climate finance such as the Green Climate Fund based on their country capacity building needs and their experience of joining the PCCC training programs. After the panel presentations, panelists and participants had active discussions on the details of the e-learning platform, the participation procedure to the PCCC training programs and future opportunities from the PCCC.

Key speakers at the opening session

H.E. Mr. Terasawa delivering his remarks during the opening session

Ms. Ogawa explaining the JICA's project during the panel discussion