A year ago, the Prime Minister of Thailand, H.E. Mr Abhisit Vijjejiva, launched the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge Platform for Asia in Bangkok to help countries in Asia adapt to the impacts of climate change through research, capacity building and sharing of information. Sida’s Swedish Environmental Secretariat For Asia (SENSA), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Asian Institute of Technology – UNEP Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (AIT-UNEP RRC.AP) are working together on this initiative with government agencies, researchers and local organisations in thirteen Asian countries. UNEP is also leading an Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Network, part of a global initiative.
On 21st and 22nd October the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2010 was held, within the framework of the Knowledge Platform and the Adaptation Network, at the UN’s Headquarters in Bangkok. The over-riding theme of the event was Mainstreaming Adaptation into Development Planning. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Environment of Japan and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) joined the founding organizations in hosting the event. Almost 600 policymakers, scientists, representatives of Asia-Pacific governments and representatives from bilateral and multilateral donors from all over the region and beyond attended. Knowledge-sharing, capacity development and financing were the key themes of the day as participants debated the critical issues of how to best approach climate change adaptation and how to integrate adaptation into development.
The Forum was opened by Dr. Young-Woo Park, Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific for UNEP, who reminded the audience that responding to climate change – “the defining issue of our time” – was particularly critical for developing countries and the Asia-Pacific region. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, speaking via video, emphasized building resilience, the centrality of science to effective adaptation programming, and the power of partnerships.
“Adaptation is not the poor cousin of climate change mitigation,” said the Executive Director, who forcefully argued for moving forward together on both adaptation and mitigation. “We have to build the strength to deal with change,” he said.
Other opening speakers were H.E. Dr. Virachai Virameteekul, Thai Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Hideyuki Mori, President of IGES, H.E. Faumunia Tiatia Liuga, Samoan Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Ms. Ursula Schaefer-Preuss, Vice President of Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development at ADB and H.E. Staffan Tillander, Climate Ambassador for Sweden. Staffan Tillander reiterated the importance of multilateral cooperation and the role of the United Nations.
He mentioned that "the UN has a unique and important role to play on a complex issue like climate change". He highlighted the fact that all adaptation programmes should be integrated into national development policies, and the need to start by enhancing and strengthening existing coping capacities not only for climate adaptation but also for climate resilience. "Building resilience is key to address the impacts of climate change".
The practical uses of adaptation were introduced early in the second day, with a panel that included Governor Joey Salceda of the Philippines’ Albay Province, a local government with a reputation for innovative thinking on climate issues. Governor Salceda pointed out that although Typhoon Megi, which had just hit his country, was the largest storm in the area for four years, good planning and mobilization of civil society and the media had helped reduce casualties to a minimum. “And 72 percent of the [donor] response was local,” the Governor said.
The Forum functioned by means of parallel sessions covering, amongst other areas, ‘Vertical Integration’ of Governance, Science and Policy; ‘Horizontal Integration’ of Policy Planning and Implementation Across Sectors, Financing of Adaptation and Improving Communications and Knowledge-Sharing.
Focus Events were also held discussing, amongst other things, Initiatives on Urban Adaptation, Child-Based Adaptation, Disaster Preparedness, Community-Based Adaptation, Business and Climate Change Adaptation, “Climate-Proofing” Coastal Ecosystems and featured a Roundtable on Local Governance.
While the first day of the Forum focused on general approaches and large-scale financing of climate change adaptation, the second day concentrated on the details of adaptation governance, mainstreaming adaptation into development planning, and the importance of effective knowledge management.
The Forum was closed by Dr. Anders Granlund, Director of SENSA, and the reflections and perspectives of some of the younger members. The final note was literally struck by Swedish artist Meja, who in a recording from Stockholm made especially for the Forum, thanked the participants for their work and gave some of her own environmental reflections before singing All About The Money with the message “it’s not all about the money…”.
