The continuous efforts to build resilience echoed in the room as 59 resilience workers from across 15 countries in the Pacific convened in Nadi to kick off the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience Building (PACRES) project’s final Steering Committee Meeting (SCM).
PACRES staff and partners shared their key activities, progress, and ways forward as it is in its final stages of implementation.
PACRES, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the Pacific Community (SPC) and the University of the South Pacific, is earmarked to end its project at the beginning of 2024.
While giving the opening remarks, the Director of SPREP’s Climate Change Resilience Programme, Tagaloa Cooper said since the last PACRES SCM a year ago, there has been great and significant progress across all PACRES Key Result Areas, which is a testament to the combined efforts of our countries, our regional agencies, and our partners.
“The past four years have resulted in the delivery of so much work across a vast array of subject matters such as the work to scale up-adaptation pilots in Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu with on-the-ground grassroots activities with our island communities,” said Ms Cooper.
“Also noting the research programme led by USP, private sector engagement led by PIFS, and SPC’s continued work to build professional resilience capacity in the region, and recognising the speed at which the implementation in scaling-up adaptation pilot on water security has progressed in Timor-Leste,” she added.
Acting Deputy Director for SPC’s Georesources and Energy Program (GEP), Florence Ventura shared how enlightening it was to hear from country representatives and their stakeholders on the activities and projects carried out, which would pave the way for the lessons learned session as well as enrich the appreciation of teamwork and collaborative efforts by CROP agencies.
“I am proud to see SPC’s input into the PACRES project and the work carried out in building resilience and implementing programmes that have uplifted and upskilled the vulnerable Pacific communities,” added Ms Ventura.
The Intra-ACP Lessons Learned in Climate Change and Disaster Resilience Workshop will take place after the SCM from August 2nd to 4th.
The PACRES Project is focused on strengthening regional and national adaptation and mitigation solutions to address the climate change challenges faced by 15 Pacific ACP countries, including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
By Alisi Vucago-Waibuta
