Asia Pacific Forum on Loss and Damage: Colombo Workshop

16th October 2016

Hotel Kingsbury, 48 Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo 01, Sri Lanka

OBJECTIVES OF WORKSHOP:

• To bring together researchers and practitioners working on loss and damage to network and share ideas
• To plan future collaborative activities

Climate Investment Funds-Pilot Program for Climate Resilience

I. Side Event Objectives

This event is designed to further enhance the understanding of PPCR pilot countries about the challenges climate change poses on development planning and implementations of programs and projects with a focus on promoting urban resilience and transformational change.  The PPCR pilot countries are expected to gather lessons and also impart their experiences and learning on addressing complex urban development issues in the face of climate change by unfolding their own stories on the ground.

During the workshop, participants will learn about, discuss and share experiences on important topics including:

• Perspectives on climate risk management and robust planning and decision-making
• Planning and actions undertaken by PPCR pilot countries to integrate climate change consideration is development planning and implementation of programs and projects with a focus on what works and what does not work for the urban sector.
• Approaches and tools to facilitate decision-making under climate uncertainties
• Building partnerships  and enhancing stakeholder engagement
• Economic analysis of climate change adaptation

II. Expected Participation of PPCR Pilot Countries

This workshop is designed to meet the needs of PPCR pilot countries to be better equipped with tools and methods to tackle climate change issues affecting their desired urban development outcomes. Experts will be invited to present some conceptual issues, practical applications and latest developments in climate change adaptation as they are applied in an urban context. The first batch of PPCR pilot countries will share the current experience in implementing PPCR to the new pilot countries and there will also be an opportunity to learn more from each other on emerging urban development challenges brought about by climate change. Representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs) are also invited to participate in the event to share their perspectives on how to better engaged stakeholders in urban development and climate change issues.

III. Side Event Format

The workshop will start with a site visit to an urban adaptation project in Colombo. The Project Manager/Representative will elaborate on the climate risks on the project and the adaptation elements and practical steps that were employed to enhance the project’s resilience. After the site visit, the participant will go the workshop venue which will start with a keynote message from a distinguished speaker. Her presentation could focus on the importance of folding adaptation and resilience into development planning of cities which he/she can relate to the project that was visited. Selected pilot countries will be also be invited to make a presentation on the challenges of building resilience in urban areas. A concluding session will focus on presenting economic analysis as a tool for adaptation decision-making with a focus on methods and examples. CIF AU will facilitate the workshop process.

IV. Pre-workshop preparation

We encourage PPCR pilot countries and CSO representatives to actively participate in the workshop. A number of PPCR pilot country representatives will be requested to prepare short presentations on specific urban development issues with a focus on major challenges and actions taken to understand and deal with the threats of climate change.  

Regional Climate Projection Consortium and Data Facility for Asia and the Pacific

20 October 2016

Galle Face Hotel, No 2 Galle Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka

Background

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has funded a Technical Assistance (TA) for the development of a regional climate projections consortium for Asia and the Pacific to serve as a regional mechanism for developing and applying climate information in support of climate risk assessments and management. The aim of the TA is to provide cost-effective and sustainable access to the relevant data and technical expertise in leading institutions within and beyond Asia and the Pacific, and to mainstream the process for the provision of relevant technical advice.  This information, guidance and training material will help mainstream the process for the provision of relevant technical advice.  The three pilot countries are Philippine, Indonesia and Thailand.

Objectives

The objective of this side event is to raise awareness of the ADB regional climate projections consortium.  The consortium provides:

1. Guidance for preparing and using climate information
2. Introductory guidance for completing vulnerability and impact assessments
3. Access to relevant climate information
4. A web-based portal to deliver the information

Agenda

Please contact Mandy Hopkins (Mandy.Hopkins@csiro.au) if you would like to attend.  Space is limited to this event.

Training on "Managing Project Preparation for Climate Change Adaptation"

20-22 October 2016

Ozo Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Objective:

A comprehensive three days training program to enable government officials to prepare fundable project proposals for climate change adaptation. The training is offered jointly by The Climate Change Asia (CCA), Asian Institute of Technology and USAID (through their Adapt Asia-Pacific Project).

The objectives of the course are:

• help in understanding climate change realities and risks; how to manage risks, screen for sensitivities, and address key vulnerable groups and areas; how climate change adaptation can be grounded in national development plans and broader national adaptation policy and strategic frameworks.
• aid in identifying sources of international funding options and develop capacities for accessing those sources.
• build capacity in project preparation for climate change adaptation by illustrating ‘how-to’ methods, tools and processes for use in rigorous adaptation project/program design in line with policies and plans.
• provide an introduction to Implementation and monitoring of projects.

Organizer:

The Climate Change Asia (CCA) at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) aims to meet the capacity building needs in the Asia Pacific region, in line with the Paris Agreement and 2030 Development Agenda. The overall goal of the CCA Program is to “assist countries to meet, and even surpass, the targets outlined in their INDCs by enhancing national capacities to meet diverse but specific needs—technical, institutional, and policy-related”. The Program has two broad outputs. First, to build capacities of government officials, private sector managers, NGOs and other key actors in the region in identifying and managing climate change responses, over the next five years, consistent with nationally determined contributions. Second, to translate these enhanced capacities into on-the-ground action, by equipping countries with the knowledge and skills required to prepare, secure financing for, and implement 'bankable' climate change mitigation and adaptation projects.

Target participants:

The training is open to government officials that manage project proposal and development from participants from South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)

Venue:

Ozo Hotel, No. 36-38, Clifford Place, Colombo, Sri Lanka

http://www.ozohotels.com/colombo-srilanka/(link is external)

Course Fee:

USD 1,500 per participant. The course fee would include the course material as well as refreshments and lunch during the training. Participants are expected to make their own flight and accommodation arrangements.

Deadline for Registration:

7 October 2016

For more information regarding the training, registration and course fee payment contact cca@ait.asia

Information on the Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative (LAKI) workshops on

Closing Adaptation Knowledge Gaps for the Hindu-Kush Himalayan subregion and the Indian Ocean Island Countries

20-22 October 2016

Samudra Ballroom, Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Objective:  

The Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative (LAKI) is a joint action pledge of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and of the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (NWP). The persistence and recurrent mention of such gaps, in spite of the growing body of adaptation knowledge, suggests the need for a better alignment of the supply of and demand for adaptation knowledge, and for efforts to respond to adaptation knowledge gaps. The LAKI was endorsed and launched in 2014 during COP 20 in Lima, in order to address knowledge gaps that prevent the planning and implementation of adaptation projects, programmes and policies in the context of various subregions. Workshops on Andean, Gulf Cooperation Council and Southern African subregions  have already been held over the past two years. 

Back to back with the APAN forum, two parallel LAKI workshops will respectively focus on the Hindu-Kush Himalayan subregion (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Myanmar and Pakistan), and on Indian Ocean Island countries (Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka). Those three-day workshops foster a participatory process of knowledge gaps identification, categorization and prioritization, accompanied by facilitated science-policy-practice dialogues. Their objective is to catalyse collaborations and the implementation of response actions to close these knowledge gaps in the context of their respective subregions.

Participants:

Participants in the workshops comprise:

• A multi-stakeholder group, the members of which need to have demonstrated relevant expertise in understanding adaptation knowledge gaps that impede adaptation action in the subregion. The MSG members can be associated with governments, regional bodies, NGOs, private sector, regional platforms and will be invited to be part of the multi-stakeholder group in their expert capacity.
• A support group includes representatives from institutions and organizations that provide various forms of support, including knowledge, finance and other “in kind” support to close the knowledge gaps. These institutions and organizations  include universities and educational institutions, research centres, thinks tanks, consulting companies and other specialized organizations offering knowledge brokering services; as well as UN agencies, bilateral and multilateral donor organizations, environmental funds, climate funds, national level entities, and for profit entities. Support group members will be invited both as experts in the field of adaptation knowledge support and as representatives of their organizations.

Participants play a very active role during the workshop and are critical in implementing response actions and in monitoring progress as a follow up to the workshop.

If you would like to participate in the workshop, please contact nwp@unfccc.int

Organizers:

The LAKI is jointly implemented by UNEP, through the Global Adaptation Network and the UNFCCC secretariat. For each subregion, a coordinating entity partners with UNEP and the UNFCCC secretariat in organizing the workshop and supporting follow-up actions. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is the coordinating entity for the Hindu Kush Himalayan subregion. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is the coordinating entity for the Indian Ocean subregion.

Further information:

Please contact the NWP team: nwp@unfccc.int

For any additional information please contact Essey Daniel at essey.daniel@unep.org or +94717966751