AP-PLAT Holds Third Plenary Meeting to Advance Regional Climate Adaptation
| Event | The 3rd AP-PLAT Plenary Meeting Advances Regional Climate Adaptation |
|---|---|
| Date | 25 October 2024 |
| Place | National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Tsukuba, Japan |
| Organizers | Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) |
| Co-organizers | Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Information Platform (AP-PLAT), Center for Climate Change Adaptation (CCCA), National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) |
The 3rd AP-PLAT Plenary Meeting convened in a hybrid format on October 25, 2024, bringing together climate adaptation experts and stakeholders both in-person at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) in Tsukuba, Japan, and online via Zoom. The meeting was organized by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Information Platform (AP-PLAT) NIES's Center for Climate Change Adaptation (CCCA).
Notable among the international participants was Dr. Roger Street, Senior Researcher from the University of Oxford and the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change (CMCC), who joined virtually to contribute his expertise to the discussions.
The meeting aimed to share AP-PLAT's progress and policies, align future activities with supporting organisations, and explore specific collaborative opportunities for capacity development programs that will contribute to AP-PLAT's goal of supporting adaptation planning.
The meeting opened with remarks from Dr. Emiko Matsuda of Japan's Ministry of the Environment, followed by Dr. Yuki Yoshida of NIES reflecting on the outcomes from the previous two days of the Platformers Meeting.
Dr. Emiko Matsuda(MOEJ)
Recent AP-PLAT Activities and Strategic Direction
Dr. Yuji Masutomi (CCCA) and Dr. Kei Kurushima (IGES) presented updates on AP-PLAT's recent activities and strategic direction. Dr. Kurushima highlighted the AP-PLAT Framework for Action 2023-2025, which outlines five key goals:
- Supporting adaptation planning progress
- Developing information platforms and tools
- Supporting climate finance proposal development
- Enhancing capacity development
- Strengthening collaboration with partners
- Status of National Adaptation Plans in Asia-Pacific
A comprehensive session on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in the Asia-Pacific region was led by Ms. Akane Matsuo (IGES), who presented a framing analysis of regional NAP development. The session included detailed presentations from:
Government of Laos: Mr. Tavanh Kittiphone shared insights on Laos' NAP development progress, and SPREP/PCCC: Ms. Yvette Kerslake discussed the status of NAPs in Pacific island nations.
Mr. Tavanh Kittiphone(Government of Laos)
Ms. Yvette Kerslake(SPREP/PCCC)
NAP Support Initiatives
The meeting concluded with a presentation by Mr. Yusuke Taishi of UNDP on current NAP support mechanisms, followed by discussions on enhancing coordination and effectiveness of support for NAP development in the region. He emphasized that recent NAPs show increasing sophistication and comprehensiveness, likely due to enhanced financial and technical support available since 2018. He stressed the importance of maintaining this momentum while addressing implementation challenges through sustained support and capacity building.
Mr. Yusuke Taishi (UNDP)
Dr. Yuji Masutomi delivered closing remarks, emphasizing AP-PLAT's commitment to strengthening regional cooperation in climate adaptation planning and implementation.
The meeting successfully aligned participating organizations on AP-PLAT's strategic direction and identified specific opportunities for collaboration in supporting regional climate adaptation efforts.
Dr. Roger Street (University of Oxford and the Euro-Mediterranean Centre) on the Zoom screen,
and Dr. Yuji Masutomi (CCCA, NIES)
Looking Ahead
Drawing from Dr. Kurushima's presentation of the AP-PLAT Framework for Action 2023-2025, the platform will continue its work through five key goals: supporting adaptation planning progress, developing information platforms and tools, supporting climate finance proposal development, enhancing capacity development, and strengthening collaboration with partners.
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: 31/Oct/2024)
