"The Centre will play a critical role in enhancing the awareness particularly of Pacific island countries on the complexities of climate change and impacts including threats and opportunities such as building capacities and resilience of communities." – Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi.

"We are on the cusp of a new era for our Pacific region with our new strategic plan now in action, and this Pacific Climate Change Centre – a centre of excellence that belongs to our Pacific people – will be a catalyst for Pacific climate change action. The Centre will play a key role in our journey ahead which will be one towards progress, resilience and environmental stability in our Pacific." – SPREP Director General, Mr Kosi Latu.

INTRODUCTION

The Pacific Climate Change Centre will be the regional centre of excellence for climate change information, research and innovation, hosted at SPREP. The PCCC is a commitment of the Pacific Leaders Meeting (PALM 7) by the Government of Japan, which supports the regional efforts for tackling climate change in the Pacific.

The Pacific Climate Change Centre will:

  • Deliver capacity development programmes in adaptation, mitigation, climate services and project development. It will promote and foster applied research, drive innovation and build capacity in these areas.
  • Improve the flow of practical information between met services, climate practitioners, policy makers, researchers, scientists and those implementing policies, programmes and projects.
  • Provide space for visiting researchers and experts to work from the PCCC and work directly in providing support to and for the benefit of Pacific island countries and territories.
  • Bring together partners to find innovative solutions to the challenges that climate change presents.

The Pacific Climate Change Centre is a partnership between the Governments of Japan and Samoa. It is funded under grant aid through JICA for Samoa as the host country of SPREP.

The PCCC will be located at the SPREP campus in Apia, Samoa, with construction to take place following a high level ground breaking ceremony, to be held on 11 May 2018.

Construction will be carried out by Konoike Construction Co. Ltd from Japan.
 

Timeline
2008 Pacific Climate Change Roundtable first discussed the need for a Pacific Climate Change Centre.
2011 Twenty-first SPREP Meeting in Apia, Samoa. SPREP Members called for their very own Pacific Climate Change Centre.
2012 Twenty-second SPREP Meeting in Noumea, New Caledonia. SPREP Members endorsed the concept of the Pacific Climate Change Centre.
2013 A detailed proposal was submitted to the Government of Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for submission to the Japanese Government on 13 June 2013.
2015 The Pacific Climate Change Centre was officially approved at the Pacific Leaders Meeting (PALM 7) in Japan. At this meeting, H.E. Mr Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan formally stated in the PALM 7 Declaration: "Japan's intention to provide comprehensive assistance, in collaboration with SPREP, including the development of the Pacific Climate Change Centre and capacity building, which supports the efforts of tackling climate change by the Pacific region as a whole." 
Pacific leaders at PALM 7 welcomed the support of Japan and also welcomed the accreditation of SPREP as a regional implementing entity to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), as an important measure to improve access to the Fund for Pacific island countries.
2016 The Governments of Japan and Samoa signed the Exchange of Notes, a key milestone, for the PCCC to be built at SPREP funded by Japan through Grant Aid to the Government of Samoa for SPREP. The signing of the Grant Agreement followed thereafter.
2017 Establishment of the PCCC Steering Committee to oversee the governance arrangements. The Steering Committee consists of Australia, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Tokelau, United Kingdom, and Japan as well as the CROP agencies of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Pacific Community, University of the South Pacific and SPREP as the Secretariat.
2018 Ground breaking ceremony, construction to start and PALM 8 to convene in May.



The PCCC will deliver its functions through the following approaches:

KNOWLEDGE BROKERAGE

  • Building partnerships between the providers and users of climate change information.
  • Improving access to scientifically robust, practical information that is available to the right people and the right time in formats that they can use.
  • Ensuring that high quality, practical, user-friendly information drives greater action on climate change.

APPLIED RESEARCH

  • Hosting and supporting applied research aligned to the needs of Pacific communities.
  • Strengthening capacity to deliver research within the region while drawing upon world-leading research from elsewhere.
  • Supporting the implementation of the proposed Pacific Climate Science Research Strategy.

TRAINING AND LEARNING

  • Supporting capacity building within national meteorological services by delivery the training node of the WMO Pacific Regional Climate Centre.
  • Improving the coordination of climate change training efforts in the region by building effective partnerships and promoting events.
  • Delivering a programme of capacity building support directly to PICTs.

INNOVATION

  • Fostering innovation and promoting the development of new climate services and products.
  • Holding 'challenge events' to bring together researcher, policymakers and practitioners to find solutions to key climate-related challenges.
  • Supporting the implementation of the Pacific Roadmap for Strengthened Climate Services.