CCA Regional Exchange and the 7th CCA TWG Meeting in Jakarta

Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Regional Exchange and the 7th CCA TWG Meeting in Jakarta 

In enhancing regional cooperation on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), the Coral Triangle Initiatives (CTI-CFF) held the Regional Exchange and 7th CCA Technical Working Group Meeting from 15 to 17 May 2024. The event, hosted in collaboration with USAID Sustainable Fish Asia Technical Support (SuFiA TS), was opened with remarks by Dr. Frank Keith Griffin, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, and Dr. Arlene N. Satapornvanit, Chief of Party of USAID SuFiA TS, with the formal proceedings launched by Dr. Irawan Asaad from Indonesia, Chair of the CCA TWG.

Attending the meeting were delegations from the CT6 countries, comprising CCA Working Group and Women Leaders’ Forum (WLF) focal points, representatives of CTI-CFF partner USAID SuFiA TS, and climate experts from various institutions. Among them were Professor Justin Sentien from University Malaysia Sabah; Dr. Perdinan from IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia; Dr. Michael Otoara Ha'apio from the University of the South Pacific, Solomon Islands; and Mr. Jacob Ekinye from the Climate Change and Development Authority of Papua New Guinea.

Also in attendance were Ms. Agnes Saul (Malaysia) and Ms. Zahriani Alvina (Indonesia), two Youth Ambassadors from the Youth Ambassador Program Batch 1. Representing the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat were Executive Director Dr. Frank Keith Griffin; DED Program Service Mr. Christovel R.S. Rotinsulu; Monitoring and Evaluation Manager Mr. Agostinho Andy Irmawan; Technical Program Manager Mr. Corzzierrah Posala; Data Compilation and Documentation Officer Ms. Cristel Amarillo; National Partners Private Officer Mr. Michael Tampongangoy; CORAL Fellows Ms. Novena Rena Parengkuan and Ms. Zeldalyn Hilly; USAID Sustainable Coral Triangle (SCT) Project Manager Mr. Md. Anjum Islam; and USAID SCT Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist Ms. Stephanie Mapaliey.

The event marked the first physical gathering of the CCA TWG since 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first day featured a comprehensive Regional Exchange, highlighted by the CCA Executive Course. This session provided a deep dive into the orientation of CTI-CFF, showcasing tools and products developed under the initiative for CCA and offering updates on the Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) 2.0, with a focus on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) integration.

A crucial discussion on climate change projections in the Coral Triangle was led by Dr. Perdinan from IPB University, Indonesia, who introduced a specialized monitoring tool for tracking climate risk in the region. Dr. Margot Stiles, Regional Climate Risk Assessment and Management Specialist of USAID SuFiA TS, facilitated further discussions on understanding resiliency and vulnerability, regional vulnerability assessments, and case studies, drawing insights from national experts across the CT6 countries.

Day two began with a presentation by Mr. Agostinho Andy Irmawan, Ms. Cristel Amarillo, and Mr. Md. Anjum Islam of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, focusing on benchmarks and challenges for CCA monitoring and evaluation. Mr. Irmawan introduced new tracking tools and templates to measure CCA-related indicators according to RPOA 2.0, Ms. Amarillo introduced the Vulnerability, Climate Change Impacts, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity framework, and Mr. Islam presented the current list of policies. The day also included focus group discussions on vulnerability and exposure, along with priority alignment for addressing climate change issues.

An essential segment of the day involved knowledge-building sessions on GESI, with Ms. Jasmin Saad, Senior GESI Specialist of USAID SuFiA TS, and Dr. Satapornvanit leading the discourse on integrating GESI into climate risk management and action plans. The afternoon featured workshops on developing a Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA) strategy, led by Ms. Ariani Soejoeti, Senior Communications and Outreach Specialist.

The final day featured a pivotal workshop on Climate Risk Management Planning, facilitated by Dr. Margot Stiles. Participants engaged in refining the draft Climate Risk Management Plan, focusing on identifying measures to address and reduce climate risks. This session emphasized aligning regional objectives with risk reduction actions to strengthen the Coral Triangle’s resilience against climate change.

In the afternoon, the 7th CCA TWG meeting convened, with focal points from Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste in attendance. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Rieka Kwalai, Alternate Chair of WLF and Chief Fisheries Officer, Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources (MFMR), Solomon Islands. The agenda included updates on focal points, decisions from SOM 18, progress on the 2024 work plan, and discussions on the initial draft of the 2025 work plan and budget. The meeting also explored potential collaboration opportunities, with USAID Sustainable Coral Triangle expressing interest in supporting future CCA-related activities.