Fostering Inclusive & Cross-Sectoral Governance Processes for Nature-based Solutions for Resilience

Day 1 (8 March 2021) - 7th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum
Stream: Nature-based Resilience
Enabler: Policy and Climate Governance

Fostering Inclusive and Cross-Sectoral Governance Processes for Nature-based Solutions for Resilience

Robust governance systems and institutions play a crucial role in accelerating climate change adaptation and reducing disaster risk. In the Asia-Pacific region, most governments have a ministry or agency (focal group) directly responsible for climate change action which is able to develop policies and regulatory frameworks to lead the design, implementation and monitoring of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for resilience. While such institutions can be beneficial, there is the risk that policymakers reduce NbS to a mere responsibility of the environment and climate change agencies, who often work in a silo, limiting their ability to address the many facets and cross-cutting dimensions of NbS. There is a need to increase awareness of NbS benefits for climate resilience while also promoting cross-sectoral collaboration on climate change adaptation, engaging all relevant ministries, including transportation, construction, finance and investment, among others. To ensure effective and long-lasting interventions, governments must also make a conscious effort to directly engage Indigenous groups, civil society organisations and the private sector in the process of decision-making, planning and implementing NbS. This session aims to understand the roles of all stakeholders and relevant government sectors in promoting inclusive governance in the design and implementation of NbS for resilience.
Key messages:
● NbS for resilience must acknowledge the legal and customary rights to access, use and control management over land and natural resources to achieve success.
● NbS are cross-cutting; there is a need to expand uptake of NbS within the private sector and non-traditional government sectors, including ministries responsible for transportation, tourism, health, energy and others.

Moderator:
Radhika Murti - Director, Global Ecosystem Management Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Introduction to Session:
Kazuaki Takahashi - Director of Climate Change Adaptation Office, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment Japan (MoEJ)

Keynote:
Saleemul Huq - Director, International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) at Independent University Bangladesh (IUB)

Presenter:
Animesh Kumar - Deputy Chief, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Asia-Pacific

Panellists:
Joshua Wycliffe - Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Waterways and Environment, Government of Fiji
Pasang Dolma Sherpa - Executive Director, Center for Indigenous Peoples' Research & Development (CIPRED)
Somkiat Prajamwong - Secretary-General, Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR)
Fononga Vainga Mangisi-Mafileo - Knowledge Management and Communications Adviser, Pacific Community (SPC)