Publication

Key Messages: The following key messages have emerged out of the presentations made and ensued discussions during the First Training Needs Assessment Meeting:

1. Climate change adaptation is also an issue of capacity building and capacity building of key stakeholders is of paramount importance for promoting climate change adaptation in some of the most vulnerable sectors and countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Awareness generation and capacity building of policy makers is the key since they are crucial to bring change in various government related processes and the society at large.

2. There have already been several initiatives by various international and national agencies for training and capacity building of key stakeholders. Training and capacity building of various government staff and trainers in the region have been facilitated by both formalized systems consisting of induction and on-the-job training programs and ad-hoc training programs that are conducted from time to time when resources are available. However, they are too few and inadequate in terms of their design and implementation.

3. Discussions revealed the presence of training and capacity needs assessments for adaptation for priority sectors in some of the project countries. However, the nature and details of these training and capacity needs are not yet clear and have to be taken into consideration before making any further interventions in this area.

4. Formulation of draft training modules and pilot programs should not be seen as an end but only as a beginning for creating enabling environment for engagement of different stakeholders. Active and coordinated engagement of national and local governments and other stakeholders is crucial to regularize training and capacity building programs in the Asia- Pacific region.

5. The Asia-Pacific Adaptation Network is well placed to play an important role as a facilitator to bring various stakeholders together and to initiate training needs assessment and formulation of draft training modules and pilot training programs for the most vulnerable sectors in the Asia-Pacific region. However, piloting and scaling up of these initiatives require proactive participation of various stakeholders including the support from governments, NGOs, national and local institutions and donor agencies.