International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative

Australia invested $150 million over three years from 2008–09 to meet high priority climate change adaptation needs in vulnerable countries in our region. Over the next two years this assistance will be scaled up by $178.2 million to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to the impacts of climate change. The primary geographic emphasis of the AusAID–DCCEE jointly–managed International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ICCAI) is on Australia's neighbouring island countries. Nevertheless, targeted policy and technical assistance is also being made available for other countries in the region and, most recently, the Caribbean and Africa.

The initiative comprises four interrelated components, which in combination will deliver a coordinated package of development assistance.

• Improved scientific information and understanding
• Strategic planning and vulnerability assessments
• Implementing, financing and coordinating adaptation measures
• Multilateral support for climate change adaptation

The overarching objectives of the program are to:

• Establish a sound policy, scientific and analytical basis for long-term Australian action to help developing partner countries adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• Increase understanding in partner countries of the impacts of climate change on their natural and socioeconomic systems.
• Enhance partner country capacity to assess key climate vulnerabilities and risks, formulate appropriate adaptation strategies and plans, and mainstream adaptation into decision making.
• Identify and help finance priority adaptation measures to increase the resilience of partner countries to the impacts of climate change.

Key activities currently implemented under the Initiative are as follows:

• The Pacific Climate Change Science Program [external site] ($20 million, 2009–2011) is helping Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste better understand how climate change will impact on them.
• The Asia–Pacific Community–based Adaptation Small Grants Program ($6 million, 2009–2013, including approximately $4 million for Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste) is providing funds to implement priority adaptation measures at the local level in 14 Pacific island countries, the Mekong sub–region, Timor-Leste and Sri Lanka.
• The Pacific Future Climate Leaders Program ($3 million, 2010 and 2011) will work to build a group of Pacific leaders with a greater understanding of climate change and tools to enhance resilience.
• The Mekong Delta Vulnerability and Adaptation Initiative (Australian contribution $1.14 million, 2009 and 2010) aims to increase understanding of key socio–economic and environmental impacts of climate change in 12 provinces of the Mekong delta region and strengthen the capacity of delta provinces to adapt to climate change impacts.
• The Community–based Adaptation Activity Grants ($2.7 million, 2010 and 2011) will support Australian and international non–government organisations (NGOs) to work with local organisations to scale up current successful community–based adaptation activities or to build an adaptation component onto existing community–based activities in the Pacific region and Timor-Leste. See general feedback on the selection process.

Adaptation assistance to the Pacific region will be coordinated through the Australia–Pacific Climate Adaptation Platform. The platform is working closely with Pacific island countries, regional and international organisations, and other donors to ensure assistance targets key adaptation priorities and is delivered in an effective and coordinated manner.

See also:

Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency [external site]

Centre for Australian Weather Research [external site]