24-25 October 2024, Tsukuba, Japan – The 5th International Climate Change Adaptation Platforms Meeting, held at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) in Tsukuba, Japan, aimed to foster knowledge sharing and collaborative discussions among national and international stakeholders working on climate adaptation. The event was structured over two days–Day 1 focused on recent activities, challenges and strategies for engaging local and national governments while highlighting communication methods to connect with users through various platforms, including online services and social media. Presentations were given by representatives from key regions such as Japan, the EU, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan, followed by discussions facilitating the exchange of experiences in adaptation strategy implementation.
Day 2 emphasised international collaboration and the potential for joint initiatives to support adaptation planning across the Asia-Pacific region. The plenary session included presentations from organisations like APN, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC), Asian Institute of Technology Regional Resource Centre for Asia and Pacific (AIT RRC.AP), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), showcasing their adaptation activities and reinforcing partnerships.
A key aspect of APN’s approach includes its sustained support for AP-PLAT and other regional adaptation and knowledge-sharing platforms. APN is committed to disseminating project outputs and enhancing capacity building across the region. This is exemplified by undertaking projects that integrate indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) for climate adaptation in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region and broader efforts to share knowledge through international partnerships with APAN, UNFCCC, UNESCAP and ICIMOD through the LAKI II HKH Initiative. APN highlighted that it leverages resources such as capacity development activities through CAPaBLE, publications and climate tools, and is exploring how to utilise and disseminate NIES’s ClimoCast tool, which aims to build regional resilience and promote evidence-based adaptation strategies, ensuring that scientific insights reach stakeholders and policymakers effectively.
In the progress of AP-PLAT, IGES first presented AP-PLAT’s role as a collaborative platform with 28 partners, including APN. They provided information on the 2024-2026 action plan for advancing climate adaptation in the Asia-Pacific, addressing the critical needs for the formulation and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). CCCA also provided an overview of AP-PLAT’s three-year action plan, information about its comprehensive climate change adaptation resources launched in 2019 and tools, including ClimoCast, for easy access to climate projections. Notable developments include a new adaptation database launched in December 2023, targeting 1,000 case studies to foster learning and good practices, and future support for climate finance proposals through a planned Green Climate Fund (GCF) support page.
On collaborative opportunities in the future, CSIRO, APN and PCCC have discussed working together in the Pacific on IPCC, particularly enhancing awareness and contribution to the IPCC 7th Assessment Report cycle and the ongoing development of CORDEX in the Pacific.
