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26.10.2015

To better implement adaptation, countries need to improve cross-institutional cooperation – APAN community

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Participants of the USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific supported 9th Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) Exchange Series and ‘live’ online chat session agreed that countries need to improve cross-institutional cooperation to better implement climate change adaptation activities.

Over a two-week period (5 – 20 August 2015), Dr. Peter King, USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific’s Senior Advisor for Project Preparation and Finance , who is also the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) Regional Centre’s Senior Policy Advisor, queried participants about the challenges countries face in turning adaptation priorities into concrete, implemented projects.

The topic “What Are Your Adaptation Priorities: Examples and Experiences” drew responses from local and national government officials, as well as development partners from around the region, including India, the Marshall Islands, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Government officials in Asia-Pacific provided a glimpse of some of the pressing adaptation priorities in their home countries. These include climate proofing agriculture, flood control, and urban adaptation. They also shared how these priorities were identified, which were mainly through efforts led by national or local government units. Many were also consultative in their approach, involving local NGOs and civil society organizations.

Interestingly, both country officials and development partner contributors singled out a lack of capacity in government institutions, as well as coordination issues, as persistent barriers preventing priorities from becoming concrete adaptation projects.

The central question of turning priorities into full-scale projects resonated in the ensuing ‘live’ online chat session that was led by Dr. King and Lee Baker, urban development specialist and USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific’s Chief of Party.

During the one-hour ‘live’ online chat session, participants agreed that strategic and planning frameworks for climate change adaptation vis-à-vis prioritization are already in place. Implementation, however, will require cross-institutional cooperation and coordination that can be challenging for many developing countries.

Other related issues were raised and discussed during the one-hour ‘live’ chat that covered measuring project impacts for better private sector engagement, raising awareness on the importance of linking disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, and integrating adaptation into countries’ development investments.

The ‘live’ online chat was joined virtually by over 25 participants from India’s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Marshall Island’s Ministry of Finance, Philippines’ Provincial Government of Antique, International Water Management InstituteHong Kong Red Cross, the East West Center – University of Hawaii, Abt Associates, Thomson Reuters Foundation, UNDP, USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific, IGES and other partners.

The transcript of the chat is accessible here: 
http://www.asiapacificadapt.net/content/live-online-chat-what-are-your-adaptation-priorities

Full responses from the 9th APAN Exchange Series is available in the consolidated replies report accessible here: http://www.asiapacificadapt.net/resource/9th-exchange-series-what-are-your-adaptation-priorities-e-discussion-report

The APAN Exchange Series is a facilitated email information exchange platform operated and supported by USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific since September 2013. The Exchange seeks to capture, consolidate, and share tacit, experience-based knowledge from APAN community members, including USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific project beneficiaries.

The 10th Exchange is currently being planned and will be launched in the coming weeks.

If you would like to join and contribute to the upcoming APAN Exchange Series, simply send an email to the-exchange@adapt-asia.org and follow the conversation in your inbox. To contribute, hit reply and email your response to the same email address: the-exchange@adapt-asia.org.

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  • The Exchange Series