Event Details

Date: July 12, 2024, Friday 
Time: 10:00 – 12:10 (JST)
Modality: Hybrid
Venue: United Nations University – Elizabeth Rose Conference Hall (Tokyo) / Zoom Webinar
Language: Japanese / English (simultaneous interpretation available) 
Tentative Agenda: Click here to download

With every 0.1 degree rise in the average global temperature, the threats from climate-induced disasters increase disproportionately affecting fragile ecosystems, impacting socioeconomic systems, and fueling instability and volatility. Pacific Islands countries (PICs) are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. The need for new growth strategies is critical to address multi-dimensional socio-economic risks, to shift to sustainable development to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, drive economic growth, and help people cope with the impacts of climate change.

The objective of this policy event is to facilitate high-level discussions on national policy making, international partnerships, and regional South-South and triangular cooperation opportunities including the private sector engagement, in the Pacific region to promote green transformation and climate resilience. This dialogue will focus on key roles and anticipated contributions of national leadership in enabling domestic potentials, enhancing ecosystems and economic prospects, and facilitating international cooperations and the public-private partnerships to drive green transformation forward. Discussions during the event will encompass various facets of green transformation relevant and acute in each Pacific country, thereby providing additional complementarity to the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 10) by sharing diverse perspectives on policy options and existing constraints.

Please register now!

On-site/in-person participation (Tokyo)                 Online participation

Context

Japan is promoting the concept of “Green Transformation (GX)” for net-zero emissions, which will benefit the country with enhanced industrial competitiveness and drive economic growth. The Government of Japan aims to facilitate JPY 150 trillion of GX (public and private) investment domestically over the next 10 years to improve predictability for the business sectors and introduce growth-oriented carbon pricing. At the G7 Summit in June 2021, Japan announced its intention to provide public and private climate finance, totaling approximately USD 60 billion over the next five years from 2021 to support developing countries. In COP26 in December 2021, Prime Minister Kishida further announced to provide an additional USD 10 billion in the coming five years, for decarbonization efforts in Asia and beyond. The Government of Japan’s revised Development Cooperation Charter which was adopted on 9 June 2023, has identified climate change as one of focus areas for Japan’s Official Development Assistance, and demonstrated the country’s continued interest in strengthening the partnership with PICs in the context of promoting the free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Japan has been one of the leading partners to UNDP’s Climate Promise and provided a total of approximately USD 66 million to support 28 countries and regions in achieving national climate action targets and in advancing net-zero pathways and climate-resilience development, grounded in Japan’s vision to “contribute to decarbonization and adaptation to climate change through the deployment of Japanese technologies.” Contributing to the overarching framework of the Climate Promise, a USD37.53 million multi-country project for ‘Promoting Green Transformation in the Pacific Region towards Net-Zero and Climate-resilient Development (Pacific Green Transformation Project)’ is the investment at scale by the Government of Japan to the Pacific to accelerate a transformational shift to the decarbonized transportation sector in Samoa, to renewable energy in Vanuatu, and to clean and more reliable energy sources which can also reduce vulnerabilities in remote communities in Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste.

GX and PALM: 

Building on the longstanding partnership between Japan and PICs, the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) was launched in 1997 as the top-level inter-governmental platform between Japan and PICs to enhance the partnership and collectively address common challenges through candid dialogues. Under the PALM framework, Japan has been hosting an in-person meetings among the heads of states every three years. Among policies, and issues and challenges discussed during the PALMs, impacts of climate change and climate-induced natural disasters has been one of the areas which is the top priorities of all PALM members throughout. Issues such as extreme weather patterns and raising sea levels threaten the survival of entire communities in the region. The region’s vulnerability is further exacerbated by limited resources, small country sizes, and a heavy dependence on fossil fuels. However, despite the many challenges posed by climate change, the PALM member countries have set ambitious goals to not only preserve their diverse ecosystems but also to enhance their vibrant and colorful cultures by creating sustainable livelihoods. The aspiration of Pacific countries to build self-sufficient sustainable economies can be achieved through an accelerated green transformation. This transformative shift towards green and sustainable growth offers viable opportunities for the Pacific region to build a more resilient, inclusive, and equitable future. 

Event Details

Date: July 12, 2024, Friday 
Time: 10:00 – 12:10 (JST)
Modality: Hybrid
Venue: United Nations University – Elizabeth Rose Conference Hall (Tokyo) / Zoom Webinar
Language: Japanese / English (simultaneous interpretation available) 
Tentative Agenda: Click here to download

Please register now!