Samoa holds its first Summit on Climate Change
By: Peniamina D Leavai
July 8, 2009
The Government of Samoa in partnership with UNDP held its first National Climate Change Summit from the 28-29 May 2009. It proved successful in meeting its objectives. These were to engage a wide range of stakeholders to share information and climate change experiences; inform on actions undertaken in the implementation of climate change programs and policies in Samoa. It was also to share lessons learned and discuss ways forward for harmonizing climate change programs and lastly, to establish the summit as an annual event.
UNDP Samoa assisted the Government in planning and mobilizing resources to hold the Summit as one of its key climate change activities to celebrate the Pacific Year of Climate Change. The opening ceremony of the Summit was well attended by high-level officials of the government, donor communities and development partners and agencies. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) as hosts for the Summit invited UNDP Samoa’s Climate Change Team member and climate change specialist, Dr. Willy Morrell to lead the first session. An overview of global climate change by Dr. Morrell drew results from the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and what climate change holds in store for Samoa and the region.
Chaired by Tuuu Dr. Ieti Taulealo, CEO of MNRE, the first session set the scene well and was immediately followed by some insightful questions and comments from the floor. Most of the discussion questioned Samoa’s responses and actions at all levels of intervention (international, regional, national, community and individual).
Interestingly, one would find that a lot of effort went into fine tuning the Summit program as the last two plenary sessions of the first day took the audience directly into detailed answers of their questions. In conventional fashion, the Summit steered discussions explicitly into adaptation programs, policies and actions. This was followed by a comprehensive account of mitigation programs, strategy and plans.
Steered by Ms. Easter Galuvao of UNDP Samoa, the adaptation session presented explicit accounts of Samoa’s adaptation processes, programmes and negotiations at the different levels of development interventions. In particular, accounts of the NAPA process and NAPA implementation projects were outlined. Climate change programmes showed implicit links to the national development plan/strategy (SDS 2008-2012) in a well articulated presentation by Ben Pereira of the Ministry of Finance.
Samoa’s active participation within the UNFCCC processes was outlined in a presentation prepared by climate change advisors from the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Mr. Taito Nakalevu and Mr. Espen Ronnenberg. Responding at the regional level, Samoa is one of 13 Pacific Island Countries which is taking part in the UNDP/GEF funded regional project – the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) project 2009-2012. After completion of the preparation of its NAPA project in 2003-2005, Samoa as an LDC started the implementation of first of four NAPA implementation projects earlier this year. This first project ‘Integrating Climate Change Risks into Agriculture and Health Sectors’; funded from the Least Developed Country Fund through GEF and executed by UNDP Samoa, is set to complete in 2012.
The Summit launched Samoa’s Second National Communication (SNC) Report to the UNFCCC project that was commenced in 2006. The Report is an obligatory requirement of Samoa as a party to the international convention on climate change which Samoa ratified in 1994. The UNDP/GEF funded project is another milestone for Samoa and UNDP Samoa in its partnership as it continues to actively build the capacity of the region in addressing climate change. Copies of SNC Reports were given out to the participants during the two day event. Samoa completed its first national communication report in 1999.
The second day of the Summit involved group sessions broken up into key sectors (health, agriculture, tourism, forestry, etc) and saw continuous active participation from members of government ministries and organizations. Local and international non government organizations, affiliate members of the Christian religion and private sector members attended. Local and international academic and UN agencies that also took part proved the issue required more team work of very diverse stakeholders if addressing the issue at the national and regional levels were to be sustainable and much more effective.
Perhaps the most positive and substantive feedback that was echoed on the second and last day of the summit included recommendations to hold a second Summit (at least within the next six months) with a focus on adaptation.
The ‘Grim Reality’ DVD produced by UNDP Samoa was one of the climate change films screened at the Film Show Reception to close the Summit.
UNDP Samoa and the government of Samoa are now looking to partner for the next Summit thanks to the active participation and high attendance of the various stakeholders.
The mutual outcome of Samoa’s first national summit on climate change has been one of willingness from everyone to UNite to combat climate change and advance its human development, poverty reduction efforts and meet its Millennium Development Goals.