USAID/ADAPT Asia-Pacific Quarterly Report – July 1 – September 30, 2012

The project aims to strengthen climate change adaptation capacity in the Asia-Pacific region. During the fourth quarter of 2012, AECOM continued to implement activities in line with the approved Work Plan and Performance Management Plan (PMP). Key achievements included establishing a new knowledge platform that serves both the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) and ADAPT Asia-Pacific, preparing an ADAPT Asia-Pacific Community of Practice (CoP) implementation plan, and developing a concept paper for the ADAPT Asia-Pacific Second Annual Forum. The knowledge platform, which was developed in collaboration with APAN, will provide a unified resource library, informative news and event section, and collaborative CoP feature. The platform will focus on climate change adaptation finance in the Asia-Pacific region. During the quarter, the ADAPT Asia-Pacific website produced and posted four new knowledge products, including proceedings from the 1st Annual Forum, an assessment of international climate funds, and a discussion paper on an approach to adaptation project preparation. The ADAPT Asia-Pacific CoP implementation plan was developed to define outcomes, measurable indicators, specific activities, human and IT resources, attributing roles and responsibilities, and a timeline for achieving the outcomes. A supporting document was also developed to include strategies on knowledge management and communication/outreach to enhance the planned CoP activities. The ADAPT Asia-Pacific Second Annual Forum aims to provide national government officials with opportunities for enhancing knowledge and capacity on adaptation financing options and learning from other country experiences and lessons learned on improving access to finance. The forum will be held in the Pacific region and will include a regional event organized by a Council of Regional Organizations of the Pacific (CROP) agency. ADAPT Asia-Pacific also focused on climate change adaptation capacity building in Thailand, partnering with the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) to provide advisory services and projects. Recruitment of a senior policy advisor was initiated, and procurement of services for a national climate change research strategy and M&E center was underway. Additionally, ADAPT Asia-Pacific partnered with UNDP to deliver two regional workshops on climate financing and prepared for a regional workshop on the economics of climate change adaptation. An assessment of capacity building needs/gaps was initiated for the Pacific region, which is expected to result in the design of a program of capacity building support from ADAPT Asia-Pacific beginning in the first quarter of FY 13.