Coastal Zone Management pty ltd.

ICCAI Climate and Ocean Programs in the Pacific, Consultation Workshop

Overview:

CZM were contracted to design and facilitate a five-day consultation workshop with Pacific island countries, held in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 11-15 April 2011. Over 60 people attended from across the Pacific, with representatives from AusAID, DCCEE and Australian scientific organisations (Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia, and CSIRO) supporting the workshop. The workshop aimed to gain a clear understanding of stakeholder priorities to inform the design of the next phase of climate and ocean program activities in the Pacific, and was carefully designed to optimise participant feedback while ensuring a genuine two-way dialogue.

NCCARF National Adaptation Research Plans

The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) aims to lead the national research community to generate the information needed by government, business and the community to manage climate change impacts. NCCARF was established in early 2008 and is hosted by Griffith University in partnership with seven other universities and the Queensland Government.

A key establishment phase task of NCCARF is to complete eight National Adaptation Research Plans (NARPs). The NARPs are an important tool for coordinating and focussing climate change adaptation research across Australia. The plans identify critical gaps in the information available to decision-makers in key vulnerable sectors and regions, set national research priorities, and identify science capacity that could be harnessed to conduct priority research. These NARPs are being developed around a number of priority themes.

The team at CZM, led by Richard McKeller, are assisting managing staff at the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) to complete the remaining five National Adaptation Research Plans (NARPs). Complementary implementation plans are also being developed along side the research plans, as well as calls for expressions of interest (EOIs) for research priority areas.

ICCAI Consultation Workshop with the Pacific and Timor Leste

CZM was approached by the Department of Climate Change to design and facilitate a four-day regional workshop on the International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ICCAI). Held in Brisbane from 17-20 March 2009, ninety-seven participants from 15 countries in the Pacific region and Timor Leste attended, as well as representatives from Australian government agencies and other guest speakers.

Attendees provided extremely positive formal and informal feedback about the Workshop. It was regarded as a unique event in bringing together so many representatives from Pacific nations to talk about climate change adaptation in a culturally sensitive way.

Future Proofing the EMRC Region

The EMRC represents six member Councils. Member councils are situated from the edge of the Perth CBD, along the Swan River, to the Swan Valley. This region incorporates a variety of social and economic values, including heritage and cultural attractions, agricultural land and world-class wineries.  To ensure these valuable assets are protected and maintained, the EMRC sought support through the Local Adaptation Pathways Program (LAPP) to investigate climate change risks posed to the region and its constituents.

Key aims of the project were to identify and prioritise EMRC members' risk to climate change and develop an adaptation plan to address these risks. Through a mentoring-driven approach with EMRC staff and coordinators within each EMRC member Council, CZM assessed the strategic-level vulnerability of the EMRC region to climate change. The EMRC, mentored by CZM, then developed a climate change adaptation action plan.

LAPP Phase II Proposal Drafting

Funding for Phase II of the Federal Local Adaptation Pathways Project, aimed at assisting local Councils to integrate climate change risk assessment into their broader decision-making processes, was made available for local councils across Australia in mid 2009.

• Batavia Regional Organisation of Councils (City of Geraldton-Greenough, Shire of Chapman Valley, Shire of Northampton, Shire of Irwin).
• Mid-west Regional Council (Shire of Carnamah, Shire of Coorow, Shire of Mingenew, Shire of Morawa, Shire of Mullewa, Shire of Three Springs, Shire of Perenjori).

The project involved close consultation with the Councils and the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) to develop proposals aimed at assessing the vulnerability of member Councils to the impacts of climate change and providing a regionally coordinated approach to climate adaptation. The Project proposals aimed to develop a regionally specific Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan that recognised the differential capacity between the regional centre and the adjoining rural Councils.

Local Government LAPP Risk Assessment Workshop

As part of the Federal LAPP funding program, CZM facilitated and presented a training workshop for local Governments.

The workshop, aimed at potential LAPP applicants and other local Government members, provided an overview of the local-scale application of the Commonwealth risk assessment framework Climate Change Impacts and Risk Management: A Guide for Business and Government, the strengths and limitations of the framework, and how to go about conducting an assessment.

Held in conjunction with a climate change expert from the CSIRO, Mr. Kevin Hennessey, the project also included development of a supporting workshop Resource Guide.

Workshops and training program for non-Annex I Parties to the UNFCCC

As part of the National Communications Support Programme (NCSP), CZM convened, facilitated and coordinated a number of training programmes for non-Annex I parties to the UNFCCC, focused on training to deliver effective National Communications.

In 2007, programs were designed for hands-on training in Samoa and Uruguay. Training incorporated field visits, classroom-style activities and workshop exercises. In addition to training and facilitation roles, CZM developed comprehensive background documents to guide participants at the expert workshops.

Resource Guide on Preparing National Communications of non-Annex I Countries

In providing support to non-Annex I Countries, CZM drafted a module on Vulnerability and Adaptation (V&A) to be included in the UNFCCC Resource Guide for Preparing the National Communications of non-Annex I Countries.

Download the Resource Guide from the UNFCCC website.

Workshop: Exchange of Experiences and Good Practices among non-Annex I Parties

Overview:

CZM provided expertise to support the Financial and Technical Support (FTS) Programme of the UNFCCC Secretariat, in fulfilling part of its mandate to support the activities of the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE).

Principal Consultant Dr Robert Kay facilitated a workshop on Exchange of Experiences and Good Practices Among non-Annex I Parties, held in Cairo in September 2007.

The workshop aimed to improve the process of preparing National Communications, through the sharing of good practices among experts. In addition, the workshop trained experts from non-Annex I countries on how to fulfil certain reporting requirements using the template prepared by the CGE.

In working with such a diverse stakeholder group, innovative facilitation techniques were applied to obtain information on experiences and lessons learned in applying the CGE template.