Climate Change
Bairiki-Nanikaai causeway (South Tarawa) impacted by strong waves on Friday night 06-10-2006
The Climate Change Unit within ECD is a technical unit through which the Ministry (MELAD) has been implementing local climate change initiatives and programmes as well as externally funded projects, designed to fulfil the objectives of the UNFCCC and related climate change agreements.
One of the units core task is to monitor information on climate change as provided by IPCC and the UNFCCC processes, assess their relevance for Kiribati, and be responsible for disseminating them to the Climate Change Study Team (CCST), and the GOK. Additionally, reporting obligations under the UNFCCC including the Initial National Communication and Second National Communications have been coordinated under the unit with major inputs from the CCST
Climate Change Study Team:
The CCST, coordinated by the CCU is composed of national experts in fields and sectors relevant to the implementation of the UNFCCC and also reflects the cross cutting nature of climate change; it serves as a national technical committee to advise the government on technical matters necessary for the successful implementation of any climate change programmes. The team has also served as coordination mechanism of past and current CC programmes coordinated by the CCU, and includes the US In-Country Climate Change Study Programme, PICCAP, NAPA and Currently the Second National Communication(SNC) to the UNFCCC
Apart from its current role in the SNC , the CCST also serves as technical arm of the National Adaptation Steering Committee
CCU’s Responsibilities and Current Activities:
- Preparation of Second National Communication to the UNFCCC
- Continuously seeking and securing CC related in-country capacity building and training
- Studies and research
- Provision of Kiribati climate change information to Government and media/researchers
- CC awareness raising and education
- Monitoring of extreme weather events
- Keeping update on UNFCCC and IPCC processes- monitors information from these processes, assess their relevance for Kiribati
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