Event

15.11.2011 - 16.11.2011

South Asia Climate Change Focal Points and Experts Consultation Meeting

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This meeting was held parallel to the Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas which was held from 14-19 November 2011. The meeting was attended by approximately 45 participants including government representatives, NGOs, practitioners and individuals interested in climate change issues

Objectives

a) To introduce UNEP networking approach including APAN to climate change focal points and experts.
b) To hold discussions and exchange views and ideas on major challenges to address climate change (e.g. types of capacity gaps, knowledge and information gaps, gaps in policies and legislation etc.)
c) To identify priorities and support needs to overcome those challenges.
d) To identify potential national institutions for the network to support government for their informed decision-making.
e) To present the ‘Gap analysis study on climate adaptation in South Asia.

Summary

The consultative meeting was divided into six sessions spanning over two days. Day one comprised of three sessions and the remaining sessions were held on the second day.

The welcoming and opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Dechen Tsering, Deputy Director of UNEP-ROAP and a representative from CANSA/RSPN. This was followed by the second session which introduced the networking approach of UNEP as presented by Mr. Mozaharul Alam, the Regional Climate Change Coordinator for UNEP-ROAP. A presentation giving an overview and background of the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) was delivered by Dr. Puja Sawhney, Coordinator of APAN, to provide the participants information and latest updates regarding APAN activities. There was then a presentation by Dr. Madhav B. Karki and Dr. Bhaskar Karky, ICIMOD, on climate change mitigation and adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalayas. Dr. Dil Bahadur Rahut, South Asia University, presented a report regarding the climate change adaptation and mitigation options for Bhutan.

The third session consisted of a presentation on expected services by the Climate Technology Center and Network that was conceptualised under the Cancun Agreement by Mr. Alam, followed by an open discussion. The first point of discussion focused on specific needs in South Asian context for tackling the capacity gaps, knowledge and information gaps, gaps in policies and legislation related to mitigation. The succeeding discussion attempted to elicit from the participants recommendations for priorities and support needs to overcome the challenges identified in the prior discussion. The fourth session began with presentation on ecosystem based climate change adaptation by Mr. Alam. A presentation sharing the perspectives of Global Water Project (GWP) on climate change was delivered by Dr. Dhruba Raj Pant, representing the GWP, South Asia. This was followed by the presentation of the results of the scoping study regarding the gaps in climate change adaptation practices in South Asia by Ms. Sreeja Nair of TERI. A participant discussion was conducted to provide an opportunity for the participants to comment, review and give recommendation to improve the results of the gap analysis study presented by Ms. Nair. The participants exchanged views and ideas on the major challenges identified in the report and the specific needs that require prioritisation in the sub-region.

The fifth session consisted of a presentation on the importance of adaptation knowledge in South Asia by Ms. Roopa Rakshit, Senior Knowledge Management Officer, Regional Resource Center for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP). The presentation tackled opportunities for knowledge generation, existing gaps and the benefits and contribution of networking in the sub-region.

The last session began with the introduction of CANSA as the sub-regional node of APAN by Mr. Sanjay Vashist, Director, CANSA. Dr. Sawhney then proceeded to present the capacity building activities at the regional and national level of APAN. An open floor discussion followed to solicit the participants’ expectations from APAN. The discussion also opened up suggestions and recommendations on how to engage other initiatives /partners (including governments, INGO/ NGOs, Private Sector, Practitioners, academia, and centres of excellence in the sub-region. Mr. Alam then presented the planned activities for the sub-region with regards to knowledge management and capacity development/ training and the possible engagement of the private sector in these activities. During the participant discussions, the need for capacity building was emphasised in terms of support for local climate change action planning and development. They also scored the need to assist local governments in efficiently and effectively channelling and accessing adaptation funds, as well as drafting quality project proposals for climate change adaptation projects for this purpose.

The participants also noted that, while private initiatives are important, they are scattered and working in ad hoc conditions. There needs to be a permanent structure, a strong coordinating body, within the national government to monitor and evaluate projects. Participants also highlighted the need to foster regional cooperation in addressing climate change adaptation.

The consultative meeting concluded with closing remarks from the representatives of CANSA/RSPN, APAN and Mr. Alam.

Related Files

›› Proceedings
›› List of Participants


Presentations

››  APAN capacity building activities at regional and national level: Puja Sawhney, APAN Coordinator
›› Climate change adaptation and mitigation options for Bhutan: Dil Bahadur Rahut, South Asian University
›› Climate change adaptation in South Asia: GWP perspective: Dhruba Pant
›› Climate change adaptation in South Asia: Sreeja Nair, TERI
›› Developing knowledge for integrating adaptation and mitigation: pilot REDD plus in community managed forest in Nepal: Madhav B Karki & Bhaskar Singh Karky, ICIMOD
›› Expected services by climate technology center and network under Cancun agreement: types of services: UNEP
›› Introduction to UNEP climate change sub-programme networking approach and status: UNEP
›› Next steps on planning future activities in South Asia's knowledge management capacity development training at sub-regional level: engagement of private sector: Adaptation Knowledge Platform
›› Next steps on planning future activities for South Asia's knowledge management capacity development training at sub-regional level: engagement of private sector: suggestion for discussion
›› Overview and background of APAN: Puja Sawhney, APAN Coordinator

Agenda

—DAY 1: 16 NOVEMBER 2011—
Session 1: Welcome and Opening
14:00 – 14:10 Welcome Address
Dechen Tsering (Ms.), Ph.D.Deputy Regional Director, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
14:00 – 14:20 Opening Remarks
CANSA/ RSPN
14:00 – 14:30 Introduce agenda, objectives, expected outputs and self-introduction of participants
Mr. Mozaharul Alam, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Session 2: UNEP Networking Approach and Status
14:30 – 14:45 Introduce UNEP Networking Approach
Mr. Mozaharul Alam, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
14:45 – 15:00 Overview and background of the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN)
Dr. Puja Sawhney, Coordinator of the Regional Hub for Asia Pacific Climate Change Adaptation (APAN), IGES
15:00 – 15:30 Tea Break
15:30 – 15:45 Developing knowledge for integrating Adaptation and Mitigation: Pilot REDD + in Community Managed Forest Nepal
Dr. Madhav B. Karki and Dr. Bhaskar Karky , ICIMOD
15:45 – 16:00 Climate Change: Adaptation and Mitigation Options for Bhutan
Dr. Dil Bahadur Rahut, South Asia University

Session 3: Expectations and exchange views and ideas on major challenges – Mitigation
16:00 – 16:30 Presentation on Expected Services by Climate Technology Center and Network under Cancun Agreement
Mr. Mozaharul Alam, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
16:30 – 17:00 Discussion on specific needs in South Asian Context (e.g. capacity gaps, knowledge and information gaps, gaps in policies and legislation) related to Mitigation
All participants
17:00 – 17:30 Discussion on priorities and support needs to overcome those challenges
All participants

—DAY 2: 17 NOVEMBER 2011—
Session 4: Opening and exchange views and ideas on major challenges – Adaptation
09:00 – 09:15 Approaches of Mainstreaming Climate Change and Ecosystem Based Adaptation
Mr. Mozaharul Alam, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
09:30 – 10:30 Climate Change Adaptation in South Asia
Ms. Sreeja Nair, Centre for Global Environment Research, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) 
10:30 – 10:45 Climate Change Adaptation: GWP Perspective
Dr. Dhruba Raj Pant, GWP
10:45 – 11:00 Tea Break
11:00 – 12:00 Discussion on specific needs in South Asian Context (e.g. capacity gaps, knowledge and information gaps, gaps in policies and legislation) related to Adaptation
All participants

Session 5: Knowledge Management and climate change adaptation
12:00 – 12:45 Importance of Adaptation Knowledge in South Asia and next step (knowledge generation, gaps and network)
Ms. Roopa Rakshit, Senior Knowledge Management Officer, Regional Resource Center for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP)
12:45 – 13:00 Q&A
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch

Session 6: Implementation of Activities under Network
14:00 – 14:30 Introduction of CANSA as sub-regional node of APAN
Mr. Sanjay Vashist, Director, CANSA
14:30 – 15:00 APAN capacity building activities at regional and national level
Dr. Puja Sawhney, Coordinator of the Regional Hub for Asia Pacific Climate Change Adaptation (APAN), IGES
15:00 – 15:15 Tea Break
15:15 – 16:15 Open floor discussion 
– Expectations from APAN 
– How to engage other initiatives /partners (including governments, INGO/ NGOs, Private Sector, Practitioners, academia, and centers of excellence in the region
16:15 – 17:15 Next steps (including planning for future activities in South Asia for Knowledge management and Capacity development/ training at the sub regional level/ engagement of private sector)
Mr. Mozaharul Alam, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, UNEP ROAP 
Suggestion for Discussion
Adaptation Knowledge Platform
17:15 – 17:30 Closing Remarks
CANSA/RSPN, APAN, Mr. Mozaharul Alam, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, UNEP ROAP