5th Climate Adaptation Platforms Meeting Convenes at NIES
| Event | The 5th International Climate Change Adaptation Platforms Meeting |
|---|---|
| Date | October 24-25, 2024 |
| Place | National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Tsukuba, Japan |
| Organizers | Center for Climate Change Adaptation (CCCA), National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) |
The 5th International Climate Change Adaptation Platforms Meetingtook place on October 24-25, 2024. Following strategic discussions on the first day, the second day featured comprehensive presentations from key international organizations on their latest activities, beginning with opening remarks by Dr. Yuji Masutomi of AP-PLAT.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders from across the Asia-Pacific region to share their experiences and explore opportunities for enhanced collaboration in climate change adaptation. Representatives from leading organizations –CSIRO, APN, UNESCAP, and AIT RRC.AP – presented their latest initiatives and achievements, demonstrating the diversity of approaches being taken across the region.
The presentations covered a comprehensive range of topics:
CSIRO’s Scientific Support for Pacific Nations
Dr. Leanne Webb,Science Lead of Asia-Pacific Climate Intelligence at CSIRO, presented their team's evolution of work in the Pacific region since 2009. CSIRO's expertise encompasses climate science, atmospheric chemistry, hydrology, ocean chemistry, marine science, sustainability science, social science, economics, risk assessment, knowledge brokering, capacity building and development of bespoke products and services. Dr. Webb highlighted two current initiatives: the Van-KIRAP project (2019-2024) which assesses impacts of extreme sea-level driven coastal inundation under rising sea levels for Port Vila and Luganville, and the CIVRA project (2023-2025) which is preparing Climate Impacts, Vulnerability and Risk Assessments for Tuvalu, Nauru, FSM, and Niue to inform their National Adaptation Plan updates.
APN’s Research Support Network
Dr. Linda Anne Stevenson of the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) shared insights from over 25 years of policy-relevant research. She outlined APN’s 2024 priorities, which focus on region-specific climate adaptation research, particularly addressing knowledge gaps in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. Dr. Stevenson also emphasized APN’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of researchers through the APN-ECAP network.
UNESCAP’s Disaster Risk Reduction Initiatives
Dr. Sanjay Srivastava from UNESCAP presented sobering statistics on regional disaster impacts, noting that over 2 million lives have been lost to disasters since 1970. His presentation focused on UNESCAP’s response through the Early Warning for All (EW4All) system and critical infrastructure protection initiatives, with particular emphasis on supporting Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.
AIT’s Innovative Adaptation Planning Tools
Dr. Ramesh Soysa of the Asian Institute of Technology introduced cutting-edge tools for locally-led adaptation planning. He demonstrated two key innovations: S8DS and FloodS, which enable practical adaptation planning through climate data analysis and flood simulation. Dr. Soysa also highlighted AIT’s commitment to capacity building through new e-learning courses.
These sessions highlighted both the significant progress being made in regional climate adaptation efforts and the opportunities for strengthened cooperation among organizations.
Looking Ahead
The meeting highlighted the diverse approaches to climate change adaptation in the Asia-Pacific region and emphasized the importance of collaboration between research institutes, international organizations, and government agencies. Organizations such as CSIRO, APN, UNESCAP, and AIT demonstrated how their complementary expertise and resources can be combined to strengthen regional adaptation efforts.
- Translating scientific research into practical solutions
- Expanding capacity development programs
- Strengthening regional collaboration networks
As a platform, AP-PLAT will continue to work with these agencies to develop more effective climate change adaptation strategies for the Asia-Pacific region.
(Posted: 30/Oct/2024)
