National Climate Change Summit

participants from the Climate Change Summit

The Government of Samoa held its first National Climate Change Summit from the 28-29 May 2009. It proved successful in meeting its objectives. The opening ceremony of the Summit was well attended by high-level officials of the government, donor communities and development partners and agencies.

The Ministry recognized the importance of the Summit as an opportunity for the Government to update stakeholders on climate change developments in Samoa. It also highlighted some of the most visible impacts of climate change in water shortages, rapid coastal erosion, agriculture and food security as well as in public health risks, forest and biodiversity and other disciplines and sectors.

The summit set the scene in most of the discussion questioned to Samoa’s responses and actions at all levels of intervention (international, regional, national, community and individual).

In conventional fashion it steered discussions explicitly into adaptation programs, policies and actions followed by a comprehensive account of mitigation programs, strategy and plans. An overview of global climate change by Dr. Morrell of UNDP drew results from the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and what it means for Samoa and its partners, and the implications to its responses and actions. Samoa’s active participation within the UNFCCC processes was echoed in a presentation prepared by climate change advisors from the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Mr. Taito Nakalevu and Mr. Espen Ronnenberg.

The group sessions into key sectors (health, agriculture, tourism, forestry, etc) saw continuous active participation from members of government ministries and corporations (MOH, MAF, Fire Services, MWTI, MNRE, MWCSD, MOF, MFAT, STA, and more); the local NGO group – Samoa Umbrella of Non Government Organizations (SUNGO), international NGOs and organizations (CI, IUCN, Red Cross Society); affiliate members of the Christian religion; private sector (Samoa Health Association, IPA, PECL and SamoaTel). Local and international academics (University of Auckland, USP, NUS); donor representatives (AusAID, JICA, NZAid) and UN Agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNEP, FAO, UNESCO, ILO, UNDSS, WHO (Samoa, Malaysia) proved the issue required more team work of very diverse stakeholders if addressing the issue at the national and regional levels were to be sustainable and much more effective.

The Summit launched Samoa’s Second National Communication (SNC) Report to the UNFCCC project that started in 2006. The Report is an obligatory requirement of Samoa as a party to the international convention on climate change which Samoa signed back in 1994. The UNDP/GEF funded project is another milestone for Samoa and UNDP-Samoa in its partnership as it continues to actively build the capacity of all players in addressing climate change. Samoa completed its first national communication report in 1999.

The ‘Grim Reality’ DVD continually being campaigned by UNDP-Samoa was one of the climate change films screened at the Film Show Reception to close the Summit. The Government of Samoa in partnership with UNDP is looking at another opportunity to facilitate the next Summit with gratitude to the active participation and the well participation of various stakeholders.
The Ministry would also like to thank our climate change partners on behalf of the Government of Samoa: GEF, UNDP, World Bank, Governments of Japan, Italy, Austria and Australia and SPREP.

L-R overview of global climate change by Dr. Morrell of UNDP, MNRE CEO, Tu’u’u Dr. Ieti Taule’alo who chaired the summit, participants given the opportunity ask questions.

L-R More question being asked by participants, participants at attendances at the Climate Change Summit.