The Republic of the Marshall Islands Climate Change Website: Coordination

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National Coordination

Republic of the Marshall Islands Environmental Protection Authority (RMIEPA)

As the RMIEPA is the national focal point for climate change activities, the duty of Facilitator or Chairperson of the Country Team falls to them. The RMIEPA representatives on the team, however, also include water resources and environmental education specialists who have an important role in preparing for the impacts of climate change.

Republic of the Marshall Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is represented in the country team in order to provide a contact to the RMI U.N. Mission which handles the international negotiations on the UNFCCC. The Foreign Affairs representative has also spent time working with the U.N. Mission in New York and has first hand experience and knowledge of the issues that are involved.

Marshall Islands Visitors Authority (MIVA)

MIVA has been a long term champion of environmental protection and sustainable development through its role in promoting the Marshall Islands as a beautiful and serene tourist destination. The considerable success and high profile of MIVA in this area prompted its somewhat unusual inclusion in the Country Team.

Non Government Organisation (NGO) Representation

A single representative provides representation of NGO interests within the Country Team. The inclusion of a representative from the Jaluit Atoll Development Authority is significant, however, as Jaluit Atoll is the most progressive of the mostly rural or subsistence living outer islands and that Jaluit is the only atoll outside of the urban centres of Majuro and Ebeye that posesses a fossil fuel powered power station.

The dual role of the JADA representative as the Banking Commissioner for the Marshall Islands also adds strength to the Country Team through provision of advice upon some of the economic consequences of climate change and adaptation measures.

Republic of the Marshall Islands Ministry of Resources and Development (R&D)

The Ministry of R&D will bear the burden of preparing much of the adaptation and response to the impacts of climate change as they arise. A Representative of the Department of Agriculture and a fisheries representative from the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) are included in the country team to represent the interests of R&D in climate change activities that are presently being carried out.

Marshall's Energy Company

The interests of the utilities provision sector of the Marshall Islands are represented on the Country Team through the inclusion of a representative from the Marshall's Energy Company (MEC). Utility providers will have a significant role to play in responding to climate change part of Convention requirements to implement certain mitigation strategies to reduce the level of use of fossil fuel generated power.

Republic of the Marshall Islands Weather Service Office

Through its involvement in the South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project, the RMI Weather Station is responsible for the collection of local data on climate change and sea level rise. Staff at the Weather Service are also undergoing training through the project so that they will be able to continue to provide interpretation and analysis of the data after the conclusion of the project in the year 2000.