0
UN events
Adaptation Committee: Boosting region-wide coherence on adaptation
Region-wide engagement event of the Adaptation Committee at the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Climate Week
08 Oct. 2023
09:00h - 18:00h
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Neom, Boulevard Riyadh City
Boulevard Riyadh City
Adaptation & Loss and Damage
English
0
UN events
Adaptation Committee: Boosting region-wide coherence on adaptation
Region-wide engagement event of the Adaptation Committee at the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Climate Week
AC_ME.png
08 Oct. 2023
09:00h - 18:00h
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Neom, Boulevard Riyadh City
Boulevard Riyadh City
Adaptation & Loss and Damage
English
AC_ME.png
AC_ME.png
Related Information
Objective

The objective of this meeting is to foster coherence and a collaborative approach toward region-wide and transboundary adaptation action and support, by bringing together and facilitating an exchange among regional organizations, development banks, and other key stakeholders for working together to step up adaptation in the region. The meeting will serve as a platform to deepen participants' understanding of the challenges and opportunities in advancing the coherent implementation of adaptation action toward a resilient future.

Informal summary report

Access the informal summary report of the event here.

Puri_MENA
Credit: UNFCCC

The Adaptation Committee (AC) hosted an event during the MENA Climate Week 2023. The event aimed to promote collaboration and coherence for adaptation of regional efforts across borders. Various stakeholders including organizations, development banks, and key players participated to enhance support and action for adaptation initiatives.

Agenda

8 October (9:00 to 18:00)
9:00 - 9:30 Welcome and opening remarks
 
  • Objectives and expected outcomes of the meeting
  • Brief presentation of the AC and its relevant work
  • Setting the scene: Remarks by the IPCC and the COP28 Incoming Presidency
  • Mr. Carlos Ruiz Garvia, UNFCCC, Adaptation division team lead
  • Ms. Ermira Frida, IPCC Deputy Secretary (virtual participation)
  • Mr. Omar Ahmed Al Braiki, COP28 Incoming Presidency
9:30 - 10:30 What are the adaptation priorities in the area, and which multi-country and region-wide adaptation solutions and projects exist?
 
  • 5-7 min. targeted and focused presentations from organizations on regional priorities and their relevant projects in the region.
  • Mr. Kishan Khoday, UNDP Regional Team Leader - Environment Practice
  • Ms. Theresa Wong, Natural Resources Officer (Climate Change), FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa - Team Leader, Greening Agriculture
  • Ms. Jyotsna Puri, IFAD Associate Vice President
10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 - 12:00 What are the existing windows of support for regional action on adaptation?
 
  • 5-7 min. targeted and focused presentations from funds and development banks on their relevant projects and funding opportunities in the region.
  • Mr. Syed Adeel Abbas, World Bank Climate Coordinator for the MENA region
  • Mr. Amgad Elmahdi, GCF Water Sector Senior Specialist
  • Mr. Olatunji Yusuf, Islamic Development Bank Lead Climate Adaptation Specialist 
12:00 - 13:00 Exploring the landscape of adaptation action and support: understanding and leveraging available resources and success stories
 
  • Are there any regional or transboundary adaptation projects and support opportunities that were not mentioned?​
  • What are examples of successful inter-agency or multistakeholder regional projects? What were the keys to success and how can these strategies be replicated?​
  • What are the existing resources for collaboration, and how can they be leveraged to scale up adaptation regionally?
  • Dr. Tarek Sadek, UNESCWA First Economic Affairs Officer (Water and Climate) Arab Centre for Climate Change Policies - Lebanon
  • Mr. Omar Farook, WFP Regional Policy Specialist - Anticipatory Action, Climate Services & Climate Security
  • Dr. Mahamadou Tounkara, GGGI   Regional director MENA
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 - 15:00 Identifying the remaining gaps and needs 
 
  • What are the region-wide and/or transboundary adaptation gaps and needs that are not met by existing efforts?
  • What can be done to fill those gaps, and by whom? 
15:00 - 15:30 Recognizing opportunities for strengthening coherent implementation and support
 
  • Are there any areas that could benefit from further cooperation to increase efficiency?​
  • How can synergies be enhanced in these areas?
15:30 - 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 - 17:00 Co-designing solutions aligned with global efforts
 
  • What [additional] modalities for collaboration can be suggested?​
  • What are good examples of joint adaptation projects in other regions or scales that could be replicated in the MENA region? ​
  • What are good examples of collaboration in other areas that could be replicated in the adaptation space?​
  • What other solutions can be implemented? ​
  • How do regional adaptation efforts align with global processes and directives (e.g. UNFCCC process [GGA, GST, etc.], funds and development banks' global strategies, other multilateral processes [e.g. CBD, UNCCD, etc.]).​
  • How can these links be strengthened for increased coherence and efficiency?
17:00 - 17:30 Next steps
 
  • What are the next steps that participating organizations and stakeholders can take to strengthen coherent implementation and collaboration?
17:30 - 18:00 Closing
 
  • Overview summary and next steps in the AC longer-term work to enhance collaboration on adaptation.


Key takeaways

  • Enhanced common understanding of the ongoing region-wide and transboundary adaptation efforts in the MENA region. 
  • Explored solutions, areas for collaboration, pathways towards stronger synergies, and opportunities to address gaps and needs aligning with the global adaptation agenda and ways in which the AC can support these efforts. 
  • Strengthened linkages among the AC and key regional actors. 
  • Engaged region-wide organizations and stakeholders in the AC’s longer-term work fostering collaboration on adaptation launched at the Adaptation Forum. 
  • Facilitated the dissemination and exchange of information between the AC, other relevant organizations, programme partners and other stakeholders. 

The outcomes of all AC region-wide engagement events will feed into the global longer-term work stemming from the Adaptation Forum.