Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

SPREP is the lead regional coordinating agency for climate change and meteorology. It works in collaboration with all CROP agencies, regional and global institutions (through the established mechanisms)  to ensure collaboration and to harness each CROP agency’s area of comparative advantage for integrated support in response to PICTs’ priority climate change needs. SPREP offers experience and expertise in the areas of mainstreaming climate change, extreme events and associated risks into sector policies and linking these to national sustainable development processes; identifying priorities for adaptation, mitigation and multi-hazard early warning systems through vulnerability, capacity assessments and feasibility studies. In that context, SPREP supports members in carrying out adaptation, mitigation and application of weather and climate information programmes through appropriate approaches fit for purpose and various communities situation including the ecosystem based approach, all of island approach, socio-economic and gender considerations, cost benefit analysis, improved climate services and risk management approaches. Monitoring and evaluation is a compulsory component of SPREP’s programme delivery through internal mechanisms and is carried out in collaboration with other CROP agencies, UNDP and key donors such as the Government of Australia, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union. Through climate change mitigation, SPREP supports members in planning and implementing renewable energy activities in collaboration with SPC, UNDP and other partners as well as greenhouse gas inventories to support national communications reporting. 

SPREP also provides support to cross cutting processes such as communication, knowledge management, education and awareness, consistent with the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change and the Pacific Islands Meteorology Strategy, as well as supporting Pacific Island countries in meeting their obligations under UNFCCC. 

SPREP is accredited as an Implementing Entity for both the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This accreditation means SPREP can access finance from both funds on behalf of eligible (PIC) Members, to support adaptation and mitigation activities. There are other international agencies (UNDP, UNEP, ADB, World Bank) also accredited to either GCF and/or AF. SPC is also applying for GCF accreditation.

SPREP is accredited to deliver projects of up to $10 million for AF, and $50 million for GCF through traditional ‘grant’ type project modalities, operating as an Implementing Entity, and where agreed with country partners, as an Executing Entity (under GCF only).

SPREP’s objective is to facilitate access by PICs to climate finance for resilient and low carbon sustainable development. SPREP will pursue this broad objective in line with its focus on environmental sustainability (including Ecosystem based Adaptation), capacity development, regional collaboration and partnerships. This means:

a. SPREP is available to provide general advice, support and capacity building to its Members for AF and GCF engagement. 
b. SPREP can oversee project delivery as an Implementing Entity for the AF and GCF, and/or support project delivery directly as an Executing Entity under the GCF. SPREP can also provide Technical Assistance where an AF or GCF project is being managed by a different Accredited Entity, such as UNDP, ADB or the Micronesia Conservation Trust. Where SPREP provides TA, SPREP may charge on a fee for service basis. 

c. SPREP can support directly, or help coordinate external support, for project proposal development. Such external support may be obtained through the Regional Technical Support Mechanism, for example. 

d. Similarly, SPREP can also provide advice and help coordinate support for ’readiness’ activities where Members require additional capacity or have technical requirements, to better engage with climate finance, including through drawing on a range of donor supported readiness focused programs operating in the region. This may range from support for, and advice on, better financial management systems through to technical feasibility studies. 

e. As an accredited entity SPREP is accountable directly to the Boards of the both the AF and the GCF for the overall management of projects, including the financial monitoring and reporting aspects of project activities. 

As a regional entity SPREP also has a role to play in helping ensure awareness, coordination and partnerships in the region. The cross cutting nature of climate change and the range and number of partners operating in the region means coordination and harmonisation is challenging. SPREP will work through relevant platforms and in coordination with other CROP entities to facilitate coordination and harmony.

SPREP’s 2017–2026 Strategic Plan reflects PICTs’ climate change priorities for action to strengthen their capacity to respond to climate change through policy improvement, implementation of practical adaptation measures informed by assessments, enhancing ecosystem resilience to the impacts of climate change and implementing initiatives aimed at achieving low carbon development. 
 

1.    Pacific Islands Ocean Acidification Partnership (no website yet)
2.    Pacific Ecosystems-based Adaptation to Climate Change (PEBACC) https://www.sprep.org/pebacc
3.    Canada-WMO Programme for Implementing the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) at Regional and National Scales
4.    JICA-Government of Samoa: Pacific Climate Change Centre 

Focal points

1.    Ms. Tagaloa Cooper-Halo, Director Climate Change - [email protected] 
2.    Mr. Espen Ronneberg, Climate Change Adviser - [email protected]
3.    Ms. Filomena Nelson, Climate Change Adaptation Adviser - [email protected]
4.    Mr. Salesa Nihmei, Meteorology and Climatology Officer - [email protected]