Climate Change Resilience
Apia, Samoa 19 December 2017 - Niue and Republic of Marshall Islands have successfully accessed the Green Climate Fund's (GCFs) Readiness programme, to commence from early 2018. The Readiness funding will be used to support the National Designated Authorities (NDA's) of each country better plan and manage engagement with the GCF in order to access funds to address the climate priorities.

The Readiness projects will be supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) who will support implementation of the projects as the GCF Delivery Partner.

In Niue the funding will support the NDA office, the Project Management and Coordination Unit of the Office of the Premier (PMCU), to develop a strategic approach to GCF pipeline development in harmonisation with the country's climate and broader development.
Practical activities will include developing and updating national climate change strategies and plans and the preparation of a Country Programme and pipeline of project ideas and concepts as well as full proposals

Niue copy copyInstalling a rainwater harvesting system at the national level. Photo: PACC Niue, 2014

"The GCF Readiness support will be critical in supporting Niue establish an efficient and effective basis for ongoing engagement with the GCF" said Ms Felicia Pihigia Talagi, Establishment Director of the PMCU.

"This is critical for such a small country as Niue with limited resources, by having a clear roadmap for engagement we can more effectively address our countries' climate change priorities into the future"

In Republic of Marshall Islands the project will have a focus on broad stakeholder engagement as input to development of a GCF Country Programme. Resources will also be used to support development of internal climate project review and monitoring mechanisms, and to build a climate change knowledge management and database web-platform.

Mr Clarence Samuel, Director of the Office of Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination (OEPPC) noted that "with the support from the GCF, I as GCF NDA for RMI will be better able to coordinate input from the various stakeholders to better plan for practical climate change projects."

"The support will also see development of a simple to use data management system so RMI can more effectively store, access and file climate information, such as baseline data and project information, which is going to support future project design as well as reporting processes"

Both projects have a budget of around USD $550,000 each to be delivered across two years. SPREP will coordinate delivery of the project, working very closely with the NDA who will establish project delivery teams to be based in-country.

"Where ever possible SPREP aims to support country owned and managed delivery" noted Mr Simon Wilson of the SPREP Project Management Unit.

"By establishing technical delivery team's in-country helps ensure the project integrates with the NDA office for more sustainable outcomes, and gives greater control of the NDA to achieve what they want from the project"

The GCF Readiness Programme provides countries with up to $1 million each year to support countries to: strengthen country capacity, engaging stakeholders in consultative processes, realising direct access, providing access to finance, and mobilising the private sector. More information is available here or please contact Mr Simon Wilson at [email protected]