The Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) and the Vanuatu Climate Adaptation Network (VCAN) has organised training to prepare officials for the 25th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).
The training has been made possible through the Pacific Climate Change Collaboration Influencing and Learning (PACCCIL) Project.
The main objective of the training is to strengthen understanding of the climate negotiation progress and why Vanuatu is attending the international event, what is expected and follow-up activities that should be carried out after attending the negotiations.
Strengthening the negotiation capacity of the participants to represent Vanuatu effectively during sessions on issues as climate finance, adaptation and mitigation at the conference is part of the objective.
Participants come from the government, civil society, NGOs and other related stake holders.
During the training, they have also strengthened their knowledge of the status of climate change in Vanuatu, ongoing adaptation projects, available opportunities, the cost, possible funding agencies and the processes.
Vanuatu, like other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), is threatened by the effects of the ongoing climate variability and change.
The country ranks among the most vulnerable countries in the world to the effects of climate variability and change.
This is happening despite the fact that the country contributes insignificantly to global warming.
The ongoing and projected effects of climate variability and climate change pose a huge challenge not only to the country’s economic growth but also to its target to realize Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This is because the livelihood of the country’s population is mainly reliant on climate sensitive sectors.
Thus, there is need to the country to understand its position with regard to the ongoing climate change, and develop a common bargaining ground as it prepares for the international event.
The main issues revolve around funding of adaptation measures proposed by the country to adapt to the ongoing and projected impacts of climate variability and change.
Photo supplied Caption: Government officials at the training