PACRES holds its fourth and final Project Steering Committee Meeting, along with the Intra-ACP Lessons Learned in Climate Change and Disaster Resilience Workshop, in Nadi, Fiji.

PACRES holds its fourth and final Project Steering Committee Meeting, along with the Intra-ACP Lessons Learned in Climate Change and Disaster Resilience Workshop, in Nadi, Fiji.

01 August 2023

Due to extreme climate variations, Pacific Island countries are facing challenges such as rising sea levels, more frequent and intense droughts and storms, ocean acidification, and consequent damage to coral reefs and fisheries.

The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience Building (PACRES) project is currently holding its fourth and final Project Steering Committee Meeting and the Intra-ACP Lessons Learned in Climate Change and Disaster Resilience Workshop in Nadi, Fiji. The Project Steering Committee Meeting and Lessons Learned workshop, funded by the European Union Intra-ACP GCCA+, will assess PACRES’ progress from 2021 to 2023.

During her opening remarks Ms. Tagaloa Cooper, SPREP’s Director of Climate Change Resilience, expressed deep gratitude to the European Union and the project’s partner countries for their unwavering support and dedication. She emphasized that the Pacific Islands are well aware of the immense challenges posed by climate change and have united as a collective to protect their people, homes, and cultures. Ms. Cooper-Halo conveyed heartfelt appreciation to all those involved in the remarkable work of the PACRES project since its inception in 2019.

She added, “The vital contributions of various entities, including the research program led by USP, private sector engagement led by PIFS, and SPC’s continued efforts in building professional resilience capacity in the region, are commendable. Additionally, she praised the noteworthy progress made in Timor-Leste regarding the implementation and scaling-up of the adaptation pilot on water security, as well as in Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.”

She continued, “To our EU colleagues based in Suva, we are most grateful for your continued support throughout the project’s duration and the flexibility you’ve afforded us in dealing with the challenges from COVID.”

The meeting will also serve as a forum for PACRES country representatives and partners to share their perspectives on project progress, proposed changes, and lessons learned. Country representatives and partners will have the opportunity to discuss and exchange lessons and experiences during the five-day workshop.

The primary goal of PACRES is to strengthen regional and national adaptation and mitigation solutions to address the climate change challenges faced by 15 Pacific ACP countries, including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

The USP component of the EU-funded Intra-ACP GCCA+ PACRES program is implemented in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).

The PACRES Steering Committee Meeting and the Intra-ACP Lessons Learned in Climate Change and Disaster Resilience Workshop will be held at the Novotel Nadi in Fiji from July 31 to August 4, 2023.