About RCC Asia and the Pacific

Capacity-building Knowledge to Action Day - Asia-Pacific (AP) Climate Week

Credit: UNICEF

“Strengthening engagement of universities and research institutions in building capacity for the preparation and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and for raising ambition in climate action”

Objectives

The PCCB, NAP Global Network, NDC Partnership, ICCCAD, LUCCC, UNESCAP, UN Environment, and the UNFCCC secretariat are organizing a full day workshop during the Asia-Pacific Climate Week, where universities and research institutions will have the opportunity to exchange views and experiences on addressing capacity-building gaps and needs, with relevant stakeholders involved in the preparation and implementation of NAPs and NDCs with a view to accelerating climate action and ambition.

The main rationale for this cooperation is to provide a space where universities and research institutions will be able to interact and exchange experiences with the relevant stakeholders involved in building capacity for the design and implementation of NAPs and NDCs, thereby creating momentum towards the UN Climate Summit in September 2019. More particularly the regional workshop aims to:

Increase the understanding of capacity-building gaps and needs of developing countries when it comes to boosting ambition and accelerating action to prepare and implement NDCs and NAPs and of the role local researchers, universities and research institutions can play in building and retaining the required capacity;
Foster a dialogue and facilitate the sharing of experiences and good practices related to effective collaboration among universities/research institutions, governments and the private sector for designing and providing tools, guidance, platforms, and advisory support aimed at strengthening capacity for preparing and/or implementing NAPs and NDCs;
Encourage a discussion on how to interpret and match knowledge needs when enhancing implementation and increasing ambition of NDCs and NAPs, aiming to translate these into researchable questions
Jointly prioritize the capacity-building gaps with a view to discussing and identifying ways to build the capacity of universities/research institutions and governments to collaborate and bridge these gaps.

Draft Agenda

*Time*	Description of the session	Facilitation
8:30-9:00	REGISTRATION
9:00-9:30	Welcoming remarks
09:30-10:30	Panel discussion: Fostering effective collaboration between universities and national research institutions with national/regional stakeholders when enhancing mitigation and adaptation commitments: a change of paradigm	NDC Partnership UNESCAP UN Environment PCCB NAP Global Network ICCCAD LUCCC
10:30-10:45	COFFEE BREAK
10:45-11:45	Session 1: Identifying developing countries’ capacity-building gaps and needs related to the preparation and implementation of NAPs and NDCs	UNESCAP UN Environment PCCB/UNFCCC secretariat NDC Partnership NAP Global Network ICCCAD LUCCC
	Results
12:45-13:45	LUNCH
13:45-14:45	Session 2: Bridging capacity-building gaps and needs: the role of local, national and regional universities and research institutions	UNESCAP UN Environment PCCB/UNFCCC secretariat NDC Partnership NAP Global Network ICCCAD LUCCC
14:45-15:30	Results
15:30-15:45	COFFEE BREAK
15:45-16:45	Session 3: Next steps: Identifying response actions to collaborate and bridge capacity-building gaps and needs at a regional level	UNESCAP UN Environment PCCB/UNFCCC secretariat NDC Partnership NAP Global Network ICCCAD LUCCC
16:45-17:30	Results
17:30-18:00	Closing remarks and next steps

Credit: UNICEF

Objectives

Increase the understanding of capacity-building gaps and needs of developing countries when it comes to boosting ambition and accelerating action to prepare and implement NDCs and NAPs and of the role local researchers, universities and research institutions can play in building and retaining the required capacity;
Foster a dialogue and facilitate the sharing of experiences and good practices related to effective collaboration among universities/research institutions, governments and the private sector for designing and providing tools, guidance, platforms, and advisory support aimed at strengthening capacity for preparing and/or implementing NAPs and NDCs;
Encourage a discussion on how to interpret and match knowledge needs when enhancing implementation and increasing ambition of NDCs and NAPs, aiming to translate these into researchable questions
Jointly prioritize the capacity-building gaps with a view to discussing and identifying ways to build the capacity of universities/research institutions and governments to collaborate and bridge these gaps.

Draft Agenda

*Time*	Description of the session	Facilitation
8:30-9:00	REGISTRATION
9:00-9:30	Welcoming remarks
09:30-10:30	Panel discussion: Fostering effective collaboration between universities and national research institutions with national/regional stakeholders when enhancing mitigation and adaptation commitments: a change of paradigm	NDC Partnership UNESCAP UN Environment PCCB NAP Global Network ICCCAD LUCCC
10:30-10:45	COFFEE BREAK
10:45-11:45	Session 1: Identifying developing countries’ capacity-building gaps and needs related to the preparation and implementation of NAPs and NDCs	UNESCAP UN Environment PCCB/UNFCCC secretariat NDC Partnership NAP Global Network ICCCAD LUCCC
	Results
12:45-13:45	LUNCH
13:45-14:45	Session 2: Bridging capacity-building gaps and needs: the role of local, national and regional universities and research institutions	UNESCAP UN Environment PCCB/UNFCCC secretariat NDC Partnership NAP Global Network ICCCAD LUCCC
14:45-15:30	Results
15:30-15:45	COFFEE BREAK
15:45-16:45	Session 3: Next steps: Identifying response actions to collaborate and bridge capacity-building gaps and needs at a regional level	UNESCAP UN Environment PCCB/UNFCCC secretariat NDC Partnership NAP Global Network ICCCAD LUCCC
16:45-17:30	Results
17:30-18:00	Closing remarks and next steps

RCC Asia-Pacific was established as the Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific in September of 2015 by UN Climate Change and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

RCC Asia-Pacific provides hands-on support to governments, NGOs and the private sector in Asia and the Pacific region to develop their mitigation efforts through capacity building, direct technical assistance, and strategic networking - sourcing the know-how and resources to drive clean development.

RCC Asia-Pacific is dedicated to the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The Centre channels local, regional and global resources into climate action, to facilitate implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, National Adaptation Plans, roadmaps for implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and other relevant policies and strategies of countries in the region.

The six global RCCs make up a globally available yet regionally oriented network, which has the ability to align and connect the regional response to climate change with the global agenda.

Our global reach and regional expertise provides stakeholders with unique advantages:

Opportunities for close collaboration with informed public and private officials.
Access to an active network of non-Party stakeholder partners, including project owners.
Matching of actions with sources of funding by building on our close partnerships with international financial institutions.
Capacity building and knowledge sharing regarding well established, as well as new and emerging market mechanisms, methodologies, and tools for mitigation.
Access to development opportunities in Small Island Developing States and other developing countries, including Least Developed Countries.
Opportunities to build synergy over the public and private spheres for cost-effective implementation of climate change initiatives that achieve sustainable results.
On-the-ground, technical know-how and experience in the regional context, as we work closely with project developers and governments in the region.
Enhanced participation in UNFCCC processes.
Recognition of mitigation outcomes, actions, and climate neutrality for non-Party stakeholders in regional and global forums.

Countries supported by RCC Asia and the Pacific:

Armenia	Azerbaijan	Brunei
Cambodia	China	Cook Islands
Fiji	Georgia	Indonesia
Iran	Kazakhstan	Kiribati
South Korea	Kyrgyzstan	Laos
Malaysia	Marshall Islands	Federated States of Micronesia
Mongolia	Nauru	Niue
Palau	Papua New Guinea	Philippines
Samoa	Singapore	Solomon Islands
Tajikistan	Thailand	Timor Leste
Tonga	Turkmenistan	Tuvalu
Uzbekistan	Vanuatu	Vietnam

About the RCCs

UN Climate Change and six prominent partners are catalysing action on the ground through regional collaboration centres combining climate change expertise with in‐depth local knowledge, in Bangkok, Dubai, Kampala, Lomé, Grenada and Panama.

Set up to spread the benefits of the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, the RCCs have broadened their role since the adoption of the Paris Agreement to facilitate the implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions under that agreement.

The RCCs facilitate national climate action through capacity-building, technical assistance and strategic networking— mobilizing know-how and resources to drive clean development.

In this context, the RCCs help the secretariat and its partners to deliver annual Regional Climate Weeks in Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin-America and the Caribbean, and envisaged to be added in the MENA region. The Climate Weeks are fast emerging as one of the most important platforms for bringing together regional stakeholders and support climate action at the regional level.

Explore more about the RCCs here.