ReliefWeb, 22nd May 2018
22 May 2018, Bangkok, Thailand - The impact of climate change reaches all aspects of human life in the Pacific. Policymakers must select the priority adaptation actions from many options. UNDP and UN Environment are empowering effective climate change decision-making in the Pacific, to enhance resilience.
Representatives of Pacific Island governments will attend a regional workshop on how to appraise and prioritise climate change adaptation options from 28-31 May 2018 in Nadi, Fiji. With the goal to strengthen their national adaptation planning, the workshop will focus on the application of technical tools and methods for selecting priority actions to reduce vulnerability.
Climate change is already affecting societies and almost all economic sectors in the Pacific Islands, including water resources, food security, natural ecosystems and livelihoods. When the challenge is immense and resources are limited, prioritising the multitude of ‘adaptation options’ is key for advancing adaptation planning and implementation.
Prioritising climate change options means making tough and strategic decisions about where to invest finite resources and which sector to focus on. There is also a degree of uncertainty about climate change impacts in the Pacific - due in part to limited climate data, as well as a lack of understanding on the effects in specific sectors.
Pacific countries have called for a ‘up-skilling’ of their approaches to adaptation prioritisation.