Eurasian Representatives Collaborate on Climate Change Adaptation

A total of 60 delegates are set to attend a regional charrette to attune national planning for climate change adaptation. Held at the Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel in Chisinau, Moldova, from 28-30 June 2016, the delegates, including officials from Ministries of Finance, Planning and Environment from 16 countries , and representatives from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP), will identify medium- and long-term climate adaptation needs, and operationalise strategies.



“Climate change and the necessity to adapt to new climate conditions have long ago exceeded the boundary of the academic discussions. Today we are already the witnesses of these changes and we are those who have the obligation to intervene to minimize their impact on present and future economic, social and environmental aspects. Climate change is more often recognized as a determining factor in the evolution of extreme weather events to global regional and national levels. For the last decades Moldova's economic losses caused by natural disasters have averaged about $ 61 million US annually, these having a major impact on the entire territory of the country,” said Mr. Victor Morgoci, Deputy Minister of Environment of Moldova.



The workshop is organised by the joint UNDP-UNEP National Adaptation Plan Global Support Programme (NAP-GSP), in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Moldova, UNDP Regional Hub for Europe and CIS and the Moldova NAP Support project. The training also benefits from the collaboration of partners including the World Meteorological Office (WMO), UN Habitat, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).



“The Paris Agreement signed by nearly 200 nations last year, demonstrates solidarity and cooperation on one of the most complex issue ever to confront humanity. The new global goal on adaptation, is defined in Art 7 of the Paris Agreement as “enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change, with a view to contributing to sustainable development and ensuring an adequate adaptation response” This goal aligns with SDG 13 of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030- which calls for action,” said Ms Dafina Gerceva, UN resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova.



The three-day workshop will take an interactive participatory approach, with the use of facilitators to lead sessions on the NAP process, sector and cross-sectoral integration to address climate risk, mainstreaming in planning and budgets and leveraging climate finance, amongst other topics. Practical working group sessions and “clinics” will be used to promote hands-on skills-based training to participants. Bi-lateral meetings also will take place between countries, enabling delegates to share national experiences.



“Climate change is one of the challenges the Republic of Moldova is facing. This is why climate change is a key area of cooperation with Moldova and an important sector of the Cooperation Strategy with the Moldovan government for the next 5 years , recently presented to national authorities and development partners ", said  Mr. Constantin Mihailescu, representative of the Austrian Development Agency.

The NAP process aims to identify medium- and long-term climate adaptation needs and to mainstream these needs into national development planning processes and strategies. This workshop is part of a global series of workshops convened by the joint UNDP/UNEP NAP-– together with other UN partners and collaborating organisations, with support from the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).



The NAP-GSP is assisting countries to identify technical, institutional and financial needs to integrate climate change adaptation into ongoing medium and long-term national planning and budgeting. Currently, 19 countries from globally have requested support for their NAP process from the NAP-GSP. The NAP-GSP is providing specific country level support, building on ongoing and complementary adaptation initiatives, working with partner agencies and in association with national governments.