By Evan
Wasuka, freelance reporter, Editor, Pacific Media Team 2013
9
July, 2013, Nadi, Fiji - Good science must build on
traditional knowledge and it must be made available to those who need it on the
ground such as managers dealing with the impacts of climate change said Esala
Nayasi, Director, Political and Treaties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation for Fiji also the Chair of the Pacific Climate Change
Roundtable.
He told
the Joint Meeting of the 2013 Pacific Platform For Disaster Risk Management
& Pacific Climate Change Roundtable meeting in Nadi, that this was one of
the key issues raised at the PCCR last week.
The PCCR
is supported by the Government of Switzerland, a key partner for the Secretariat
of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and also supported the
2011 and 2009 PCCR events. Support is also provided by Australia, Germany and
the European Union.
Nayasi
said initiatives such as Pacific-Australia Climate Change Science Adaptation
Planning Program (PACCSAP) and the Climate Change Portal were practical ways of
delivering scientific information where needed.
Last week
the PCCR heard about positive adaptation and exciting mitigation initiatives
taking place in the region.
“It is
important to get the balance right between adaptation and mitigation, and also
balance within adaptation between infrastructure based options and nature based
options, with a need to increase our focus on practical ecosystem based
approaches such as we have heard about in Choiseul province in Solomon Islands.
This focus enables win-win outcomes on climate change and nature
conservation.”
Other
issues raised at the PCCR include the need for heightened urgency on sea level
rise and action at international and national levels to reduce greenhouse
gases.
"We are
the smallest emitters of greenhouses gases but the first to be
impacted."
On the
integration of climate change and disaster risk management, Nayasi said this had
to occur at national level to work.
"In order
for the integrated strategy to be robust, the process by which we get there must
be country driven. In other words it must be led by the countries
themselves."
Recommendations from PCCR to the Joint
Meeting:
•
To recognise that adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change remains a
key priority for the region;
•
To acknowledge and take into consideration the lessons learned from the
implementation of the Pacific Island Framework for Action on Climate Change
(PIFACC) and other
relevant
instruments;
•
To maintain the leadership and country-driven approach by Pacific Island
Countries and Territories (PICTS);
•
To recognize that the Roadmap process be regionally coordinated in order to
ensure thorough consultation and full support and implementation with all PICTS
such that they are at the forefront of the Roadmap process;
•
To recognize that there are commonalities between aspects of climate change and
disaster risk management and that efficiencies can be generated through joint
efforts;
•
To further recognize, there remain needs in climate change and disaster risk
management that should be considered and addressed through separate processes
;
•
To draw on lessons from national, sub-national and community level experiences
in integrating DRM and CCA, such as the Joint National Action Plans (JNAPs) and
national
development
strategies;
•
To urge development partners to provide continued support to the Roadmap
process;
•
To recognise the value of joint meetings for the Roadmap.
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