USAID/ADAPT Asia-Pacific Quarterly Report – January 1 – March 31, 2012

The project's primary objective is to enhance the capacity of national agencies and other organizations to prepare climate change adaptation projects and access adaptation funds. During the second quarter of 2012, AECOM International Development, the project's implementing partner, continued to implement activities in line with the approved Work Plan and Performance Management Plan (PMP). Key achievements during this quarter included the organization of the ADAPT Asia-Pacific First Annual Forum, the launch of the ADAPT Asia-Pacific website, and the finalization of key baseline assessments on climate change adaptation capacity building opportunities, climate change adaptation projects and programs in the region, and climate change adaptation funds and finance mechanisms. The ADAPT Asia-Pacific First Annual Forum, held on March 13-15, 2012, in Bangkok, Thailand, brought together approximately 120 participants from government institutions, climate change funds, multilateral institutions, and bilateral donors. The forum aimed to raise awareness and understanding of available climate funding resources and the requirements for accessing these funds, identify priority capacity gaps and country needs in preparing climate change adaptation project proposals, and introduce the ADAPT Asia-Pacific project and its potential role in facilitating country access to adaptation funds. The forum featured keynote speakers who provided global, regional, and national perspectives on urgent needs for adaptation actions. Sessions on current adaptation finance, facilitated by fund managers and multilateral/bilateral development agencies, presented the details of mechanisms and requirements of adaptation financing and raised the understanding of accessing these funds. The sessions with country representatives identified the challenges and opportunities for accessing these funds. The ADAPT Asia-Pacific project is also working on the concept of establishing a virtual network, or Community of Practice, with the participation of the forum participants and other interested climate change adaptation champions in the region. The main objectives of this online platform are to share best practices and lessons learned, keep the forum participants informed of the latest developments in climate change adaptation project preparation and access to adaptation funds, and provide an opportunity for members to share experience, ask questions, and get expert opinions on key adaptation project preparation and finance issues. In addition to the forum, the project's adaptation capacity building program got underway in earnest at the end of January with the arrival of the Team Leader for Capacity Building. Major accomplishments during this quarter included the preparation of an assessment of capacity building programs, dialogues with potential partners for collaboration on designing, developing, and/or supporting capacity building programs, the preparation of a concept paper for the design and delivery of a new capacity building program, and the design of a package of assistance to upgrade the capacity of Thailand's Office of Climate Change Coordination. A regional assessment of capacity building for climate change adaptation has been conducted, canvassing existing capacity building undertaken in the region and internationally that is focused on strengthening the capacity of national agencies and other organizations to prepare climate change adaptation projects and access adaptation funds. As of the end of March, information on approximately 110 programs has been gathered, and a shortlist of upcoming programs will be used to provide priority training to selected government officials during 2012.