Introduction To The Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN)

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
Introduction to the Asia Pacific

Adaptation Network (APAN)
ADB-KOICA 2nd National Workshop, Tokyo

4 November 2010
Daisuke Sano and

Toshinao Okayama (Coordinator of the Regional Hub)
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES）
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies （IGES）
Outline
1. About Asia Pacific Adaptation Network

(APAN)
 Organizational structure
 Objectives and activities
2. Some messages from the Adaptation Forum
2010 (October 2010)
3. Possible contribution by APAN
IGES | http://www.iges.or.jp 2
Asia Pacific Adaptation Network at a glance
 One of the first regional networks under Global

Adaptation Network (GAN) lead by UNEP (launched in
October 2009, inception phase 2010-2012)
 Secretariat & Hub (Bangkok) and five sub-regional
nodes
 Supported by UNEP-ROAP, AIT-UNEP.RRC.AP, ADB,
SIDA, and the Government of Japan (Ministry of the
Environment)
 Operated by UNEP-ROAP, AIT-UNEP.RRC.AP, and
IGES
 Facilitating knowledge/information exchange among
multi-stakeholders
UNEP Global Adaptation Network (GAN)
Organizational structure of APAN
Steering Committee and Regional Hub

Steering Committee Regional Hub:
(inception phase):
Chair: Prof. Masataka Watanabe • Co‐hosted by the AIT‐UNEP
(Japan) and RRC.AP (Regional Resource
two representatives from each sub‐ Center for Asia‐Pacific) and IGES
region: • Serves as a regional knowledge
• Central Asia center for adaptation
• South Asia • Collaborates with sub‐regional
• Pacific nodes and identified national
• Southeast Asia implementing partners for
• Northeast Asia (Ministry of delivery of the relevant Network
Environment of Republic of Korea activities.
and Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Overall objective of APAN
Help build climate resilience of vulnerable

human systems, ecosystems and economies
through the mobilization of knowledge and
technologies to support adaptation capacity
building, policy-setting, planning and practices.
Main areas of APAN activities
Knowledge generation and sharing
Improved knowledge application Capacity development

and decision making
Improved access to
adaptation finance mechanisms
Activities planned in 2010-2011
Improve availability and accessibility of knowledge for

adaptation, including ecosystem based adaptation tools
and methods
a. Review assessment frameworks, methods and tools for climate

impacts, vulnerability and adaptive capacity and decision support
tools;
b. Produce and disseminate knowledge products and "good
adaptation practices“;
c. Organize knowledge-sharing and synchronize joint learning
through regional and sub-regional seminars, workshops and
training; and
d. Develop an on-line regional knowledge sharing mechanism on
climate change adaptation in the Asia Pacific region
Strengthen knowledge support to

governments, communities and development partners
a. Identify country-specific needs for adaptation knowledge in

collaboration with donors and implementation agencies at the
sub-regional and national level and
b. Develop means for provision of targeted knowledge services
and products responding to specific requests from
governments, development partners, private sector and
communities
Improve access to adaptation finance mechanisms
APAN aims to develop means for advisory services to

developing countries in the region to improve their access to
adaptation finance mechanisms (under development)
Increase capacity of national and regional institutions to

support adaptation actions
Training needs assessment and training module development

(more to be developed)
Recent development with partners

Northeast Asia
- MOU with the Mongolian Development Institute (MDI), organized
consultation meeting at Ulaanbaatar in June 2010.
- Potential collaboration with the Korea Adaptation Center for Climate
Change (KACCC),KEI.
Central Asia
- MOU with the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC),
organized a side event at MCED6 at Astana in September 2010.
Pacific
- MOU with the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
is under discussion
Recent development with partners

Donor agency
- LOA with ADB regarding i) establishment of APAN’s web portal, ii)co-
organize Adaptation Forum October 2010, iii)undertaking gap analysis, iv)
providing knowledge products, good adaptation practices, and lessons from
ADB’s activities.
Partnership is essential for effective APAN operation to achieve its goals.
Adaptation Web portal
Please visit http://www.asiapacificadapt.net/

Adaptation Web portal
Adaptation Forum 2010
- Over 500 policymakers, scientists, representatives of Asia-Pacific

governments and representatives from bilateral and multilateral donors
gathered for two days in Bangkok last month.
- Co-organized by Adaptation Platform* and APAN
* Initiative supported by the Swedish government

and other organizations focused in south and
Southeast Asia sub-regions
Adaptation Forum 2010
- Overall theme of the event: mainstreaming adaptation into

development plan
- Sub/session themes: knowledge-sharing, capacity development,
financing, adaptation governance, and the importance of effective
knowledge management
- Many side/focus events and exhibition (“market place”)
Some messages from Adaptation Forum 2010

“Adaptation is not the poor cousin of climate change mitigation.”
“Climate change adaptation can be considered as “development done

right”, but adaptation depends on science and scientific findings to a
degree not seen in traditional development.”
“Adaptation cannot wait for “perfect information” or scientific certainty.

Policymakers and decision-makers operate under uncertainty all the time, and
must do so in this case as well.”
“It is very difficult to compare vulnerability across countries. Yet, relative

vulnerability must be taken into account when allocating.”
“There are important lessons for climate change adaptation funding,

both positive and negative, to be learned from the management of
Official Development Assistance (ODA).”
Some messages from Adaptation Forum 2010

“Many local governments in the region may not yet be able to understand or
implement adaptation planning, and that it was important to take into account
local priorities.”
“There is still a gap between advocates for climate change adaptation and
affected communities, between creators of knowledge and users of
knowledge.”
“There is much work to be done in communications between scientists and

decision-makers, and in translating scientific findings into policies and
programs.”
And more…
Further details are available at:

http://www.asiapacificadapt.net/adaptationforum2010/index.php/page/load/home
Possible contribution
Twinning
 Linking knowledge generation and sharing
 Linking knowledge and action
• More “action-oriented”
• Policy makers/practitioners – scientists
• Governments – local communities
• Donors – donor recipients, etc.
 Inducing co-generation of knowledge
• North-south, south-south
 Enhancing capacity building
• Planning, implementing, handling of fund, etc.
Your participation to the APAN is most welcome.


Introduction To The Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction To The Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

Introduction to the Asia Pacific

ADB-KOICA 2nd National Workshop, Tokyo

Daisuke Sano and

1. About Asia Pacific Adaptation Network

Asia Pacific Adaptation Network at a glance

 One of the first regional networks under Global

UNEP Global Adaptation Network (GAN)

Organizational structure of APAN

Steering Committee and Regional Hub

Overall objective of APAN

Help build climate resilience of vulnerable

Main areas of APAN activities

Knowledge generation and sharing

Improved knowledge application Capacity development

Activities planned in 2010-2011

Improve availability and accessibility of knowledge for

a. Review assessment frameworks, methods and tools for climate

Activities planned in 2010-2011

Strengthen knowledge support to

a. Identify country-specific needs for adaptation knowledge in

Activities planned in 2010-2011

Improve access to adaptation finance mechanisms

APAN aims to develop means for advisory services to

Increase capacity of national and regional institutions to

Training needs assessment and training module development

Recent development with partners

Recent development with partners

Partnership is essential for effective APAN operation to achieve its goals.

Adaptation Web portal

Please visit http://www.asiapacificadapt.net/

Adaptation Web portal

Adaptation Forum 2010

- Over 500 policymakers, scientists, representatives of Asia-Pacific

* Initiative supported by the Swedish government

Adaptation Forum 2010

- Overall theme of the event: mainstreaming adaptation into

Some messages from Adaptation Forum 2010

“Climate change adaptation can be considered as “development done

“Adaptation cannot wait for “perfect information” or scientific certainty.

“It is very difficult to compare vulnerability across countries. Yet, relative

“There are important lessons for climate change adaptation funding,

Some messages from Adaptation Forum 2010

“There is much work to be done in communications between scientists and

Further details are available at:

Your participation to the APAN is most welcome.

You might also like