Private sector is a key player
27 June 2019
By Iliesa Tora of the Nuku’alofa Times
Sigatoka, Fiji (Enviro News): The private sector is a key player in climate change and disaster finance work, the Regional Climate and Disaster Risk Forum at the Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort in Sigatoka, Fiji heard this morning.
Panellists from Fiji, Samoa and the Solomon Islands at this morning’s session on ‘Public Private Sector Partnerships (PPP) and Climate and Disaster Risk Finance’ shared their experiences on partnerships in their respective countries.
Collaboration between stakeholders key to accessing climate change finance.
27 June 2019
By KALISITO ECEÉCE of FemLink Pacific.
Sigatoka, Fiji – The need for strengthened collaboration between Governments and all key stakeholders such as civil society, private sector awareness on climate change finance, was highlighted by a Representative from the Ministry of Economy of Fiji yesterday in Sigatoka.
Pacific accessibility to climate finance still inadequate: Palu
By Anita Roberts of Vanuatu Daily Post
June 26, 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji - The Pacific's accessibility to climate finance is still inadequate despite availability of funds, the Climate Finance and Public Financial Management (PFM) Advisor of GIZ, Mr Aholotu Palu, said during the opening of the second Regional Climate Finance Meeting.
ISACC project strengthens institutions in Tuvalu to access and manage climate finance
By Puasei'ese Pedro of Tuvalu Broadcasting Corporation
26 June 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji – The Institutional Strengthening in Pacific island Countries to adapt to Climate Change (ISACC) project is assisting Tuvaluan practitioners who are engaged with climate change related projects.
Ms. Susan Tupulaga, National Coordinator of the ISACC project in Tuvalu, said that although Tuvalu does not receive direct funding from ISACC, it receives benefits in other ways which assist to implement projects on the ground.
Tuvalu encourages donors to channel funding assistance through the Ministry of Finance
By Puaseiese Pedro of Tuvalu Broadcasting Corporation.
26 June 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji – Every Tuvaluan that sits in or attends regional or international conferences is encouraged to point out to donors that funding assistance must go through the Tuvalu’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
Pacific island countries need credible and robust Public Finance Management (PFM) systems
BY JARED KOLI, Journalism Student, University of the South Pacific.
26 June 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji – Pacific island countries need to have credible and robust Public Finance Management (PFM) systems to meet climate finance fiduciary requirements.
Accessing climate finance strengthens national Public Finance Management systems
By GEORGINA KEKEA, Barava FM/Freelance Journalist, Solomon Islands.
June 26, 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji – The process needed to access the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is said to improve the quality of internal processes and procedures in governments’ Public Financial Management (PFM) systems.
In a meeting for regional participants on ‘climate change and disaster risk finance’ it was highlighted that processes set by donor agencies to access GCF funding have really pushed countries to work on strengthening their financial systems.
System reforms must be demand driven, not supply driven
By ILIESA TORA of Nuku’alofa Times.
26 June 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji – Pacific Island countries should reform their Public Finance Management Systems (PFMS) for their own good and not just to meet requirements to access Climate Financing only, the Regional Climate and Disaster Risk Finance Forum in Sigatoka, Fiji heard this morning.
Cook Islands’ Chief Executive Officer at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management Garth Henderson said this was important to ensure that PFMS are owned by countries and can be sustained over time.
Improving climate finance makes for more resilient Pacific
By Seneti Popua ‘Aho of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission.
26 June 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji – The Pacific Islands are directly impacted by climate change, but much of the foreign funds intended for combating climate change are difficult for Pacific island countries to directly access, and if funds are accessed, the complexity of the required reporting can prove too difficult to effectively manage.
Sharing Pacific Perspectives on Climate Change & Disaster Risk Finance
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
26th June 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji - Climate change and disaster risk finance is crucial to addressing climate change, the greatest single threat to the livelihoods, security and well-being of the Pacific. As such, a gathering on climate change and disaster risk finance opened today in Sigatoka, Fiji bringing together over 70 Pacific island delegates and partners.
Media plays key role in region’s finance reforms
By ILIESA TORA of Nuku’alofa Times.
26 June 2019, Sigatoka, Fiji (Enviro News): Climate Change and climate financing discussions and planning must include the media, a regional climate finance and public management adviser told the media here in Sigatoka, Fiji this morning.
Role of Pacific Media in Communicating Information Vital
June 24, Sigatoka, Fiji – Understanding how and where money is being spent to fight the impact of climate change in the Pacific is at the core of a Pacific Media Masterclass being held this week.
The media session is part of the Pacific Regional Climate Change Finance Meeting being held in Fiji from 25-27th June.
Green Climate Fund 22nd Meeting of the Board
26-28 February 2019
GCF Headquarters, Songdo, Republic of Korea
Approved projects - Pacific
Nine projects were approved at B.22, however none located in the Pacific.
Accreditation updates
At B.22, the Board approved nine new organisations as Accredited Entities. From the Pacific, this included the Pacific Community (SPC).
Other Pacific-relevant news
Pacific Islands call on help from neighbouring 'bigger countries' to battle climate change
Podcast: Climate finance in Asia and the Pacific
GCF publishes the revised funding proposal schedule for B.23 and B.24
Songdo, 01 Mar 2019
Pacific Nations challenging the dialogue on Climate Change at COP24
Pacific nations continue push for climate finance
Traditional knowledge key to climate change adaptation
One Pacific, one chance
Megan Darby and Karl Mathiesen talk money. How is the issue of climate finance faring at Cop24? From the negotiating rooms, to the big funds, to the island of Niue.
Lead or sue? Pacific islands take twin tracks on climate change
Vanuatu becomes the first nation state to threaten oil majors with climate damages lawsuits, while the Marshall Islands submits updated climate plan to the UN.
GCF supports SIDS with financing energy storage
Technical and financial barriers have constrained the uptake of renewable energy in Tonga, resulting to a reliance on fossil fuels for more than 70% of electricity generation in 2018.
Understanding Climate Finance to Turn the Tide on Climate Change
To address the impacts of changing climate, developing countries enhance their capacity to access and manage climate finance.
ADB Projects in Kiribati, Pakistan, and Tonga
The ADB has secured $108 million in funding from the Green Climate Fund for its climate change projects, shoring up the bank’s efforts to increase its climate financing for the Asia and Pacific region.
Climate finance is failing the most vulnerable
“Woefully inadequate” is how a new report from Caritas assesses the state of global funds reaching the most vulnerable people affected by climate change in the Pacific region.
Climate forum considers innovative finance, technology
A regional forum on climate change adaptation, co-hosted by the ADB, provided an opportunity to discuss innovative technology and financing to build resilience to disasters and climate adversities.
Pacific Summary - Green Climate Fund 21st Meeting of the Board
17 – 20 October 2018,
Manama, Bahrain
Approved projects - Pacific
The following projects were approved at B.21:
FP090: Tonga Renewable Energy Project under the Pacific Islands Renewable Energy Investment Program, Tonga (Accredited Entity – Asian Development Bank)
Closing the climate finance gaps
Practitioners from around the world including Fiji, gathered in Berlin to share lessons and experiences from the past three years of work under the “GCF Readiness Programme”.
Cook Islands receives accreditation from Green Climate Fund
The Cook Islands can now access climate related finance of up to about US$50million per project directly from the Green Climate Fund.
Pacific regionalism, climate finance, and women in politics
During a recent trip to Port Vila, Tess Newton Cain caught up with Hon Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trade in the Vanuatu Government.
Vanuatu Government launches climate change finance review
The Government of Vanuatu has launched its climate change finance review.
Adapting Fiji’s development strategy to climate change
In an effort to adapt the country’s development strategy to climate and disaster risk, the government of Fiji has since pioneered a first-of-its-kind climate vulnerability assessment.
Understanding Risk Finance Pacific Forum
On October 16-19, policy-makers and experts from around the world will gather in Vanuatu for the Understanding Risk Finance Pacific Forum.
GCF pledges ambitious response to IPCC alarm bell
The Green Climate Fund is working with developing countries to drive urgent action in response to the latest IPCC report on the science of climate change.
Federated States of Micronesia commence climate change and disaster risk finance assessment
With a view to advancing their national climate change and disaster risk management priorities, stakeholders gathered to participate in the Introductory Workshop for the Federated States of Micronesia’s Climate Change and Disaster Risk Finance Assessment.
The Marshall Islands makes call for climate finance at G7
The president of the Marshall Islands has called on leaders of the world's wealthiest democracies to free up access to sustainable climate finance.
Climate Finance by Development Banks Increased Nearly 30% in 2017
Climate financing by the world’s six largest multilateral development banks rose to a seven-year high of USD 35.2 billion in 2017.
How Caribbean Islands Are Leading the Clean Energy Transformation
Caribbean countries have shifted the focus to address the root of the problem by transitioning from climate-polluting fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy.
Fiji Rural Electrification Fund
Inspired by Fiji's Presidency of COP23, the Fijian Government, with the support of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, will bring renewable energy to eligible rural communities.
COP23 Speech - LONG TERM CLIMATE FINANCE
“We must increase the pool of finance available for mitigation and adaptation” – COP23
Adaptation Fund Launches Pilot Initiative Providing Enhanced Support for Climate-Vulnerable Countries to Access Climate Finance
Adaptation Fund Launches Pilot Initiative Providing Enhanced Support for Climate-Vulnerable Countries to Access Climate Finance
Bonn climate talks: key outcomes from the May 2018 UN climate conference
Over the past two weeks, diplomats in Germany, to discuss how to bring the Paris Agreement on climate change to life when it enters force in 2020.
Why is tiny Nauru getting $26.9m in climate finance
Nauru’s biggest donor Australia lobbied for a project that raises tough questions over how climate finance differs from traditional development aid.
Development bank climate funding jumped 28% in 2017
An increase of nearly 30 per cent on the previous year, boosting projects that help developing countries cut emissions and address climate risks.
GCF Board approves over USD 1 billion in funding for climate mitigation and adaptation
The first Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board meeting of 2018 concluded today after approving 23 projects, valued together at USD 1,093.5 million of GCF funding.
ACliFF Launch and the Future of Climate Finance in Asia
Launch of the Asia-Pacific Climate Finance Fund (ACliFF) and the Future of Climate Finance in Asia.