GCF Pacific dialogue charts new ambition for climate action

The second Structured Dialogue with the Pacific, hosted by the Federated States of Micronesia, ended on Thursday August 2, 2018 with strengthened partnerships between GCF and key stakeholders in the region.
The four day event brought together more than 150 participants, including Ministers, representatives of National Designated Authorities, Accredited Entities, delivery partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and development partners, to take stock of progress and galvanise new ambition for climate action.
In his opening remarks, FSM Vice President Yosiwo P. George noted his appreciation of “GCF support and putting countries at the forefront of addressing climate change challenges.”
Pacific island countries have been successful in its engagement with GCF, with 9 projects approved to date, as well as 19 Readiness projects supporting the capacity of countries to respond to the climate challenge. Countries in the region have also submitted an additional 18 projects for consideration in future Board meetings. At the Dialogue, countries presented an ambitious goal of submitting 64 additional project proposals.
Ambassador Feturi Elisaia expressed that the Pacific as a region is doing very well in terms of engagement with GCF. He welcomed this new ambition from the countries and stated that “these efforts to achieve low emissions and climate resilient development in our country programming are critical for sustainability and efforts to combat climate change. It is also a strong foundation for a healthy replenishment of GCF.”
Countries stressed the importance of building on country systems for effective country programming, the need for multi-year readiness funding towards a more programmatic approach to sustained readiness capacity and strengthening the GCF’s regional presence to bring its opportunities closer to Pacific Countries.