Press Release

October 24, 2016
  • Global Environment

"5th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2016" was held in Sri Lanka

5th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2016

"5th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2016" under the theme of "Adapting and Living below 2°C: Bridging the Gaps in Policy & Practice" was held for three days from 17th October (Monday) to 19th October (Wednesday) 2016 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The forum was held as a main event of "Sri Lanka NEXT: A Blue - Green Era" conference hosted by the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, Government of Sri Lanka and it brought together such as policymakers, officials, scientists, NGOs, the public from over 50 countries, mostly in the Asia-Pacific regions. More than 1,000 people participated in it. Active discussions on the theme of climate change adaptation continued among relevant parties.

OUTLINE OF THE FORUM

The climate change adaptation has been recognized as important as the reduction of GHGs in the Paris Climate Agreement in December 2015 and also included to be enhanced the sharing of knowledge in it.

Discussions were organized under four key streams

  • Adaptation Planning
  • Financing for Adaptation
  • Climate Resilient Development
  • Multi-actor cross learning

Major Participants

  • H. E. The President Maithripala SIRISENA

    President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment

  • Prof. Masataka Watanabe

    Chair of APAN, Professor of Chuo University

Outcomes

The followings were recognized in this Forum;

[1] In order to enhance adaptation planning and activities as agreed in the Paris Agreement, sharing knowledge and information on good practices, challenges, and opportunity are needed. For this end, the Forum was recognized to play a very important role,

[2] The necessities of legal framework and political initiatives in adaptation planning, the way of main streaming adaptation budget, resilient to climate change and sustainable development, activities involving stakeholders in a wide range of fields.

[3] Importance of maintaining balance between a bottom-up approach on expanding grass-route and local level activities to national level and a top-down approach on promoting national policies to community level was discussed.

[4] Ongoing adaptation researches in the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) were introduced. At the same time, it was confirmed the importance of effective inter-regional knowledge sharing and cooperation with international organizations, such as UNFCCC, through Global Adaptation Network (GAN).

For further information, please contact:

Climate Change Adaptation Office

Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment.

TEL:03-5521-8242 or 03-3581-3351

Please also visit:

Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2016

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