A Cook Islands delegation was in Songdo, Korea earlier last month attending the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Asia Pacific Dialogue.

The dialogue brought together National Designated Authorities, Accredited Entities, Delivery Partners and other GCF partners, to provide a platform for stakeholders to accelerate their engagement with GCF, facilitate peer to peer learning on basis of experience and best practices, and to identify and develop climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives.

Cook Islands Delegation by the National Designated Authority - Climate Change Cook Islands and accompanied by members of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management and Bank of the Cook Islands engaged in dozens of events, including bilateral meetings with the GCFs newly appointed Executive Director Mafalda Duarte, Pacific island countries and partners.

In the opening sessions Cook Islands called for partners to continue building the momentum and ensure the second replenishment is the most ambitious yet with new and additional climate finance consistent with the articles of the convention and the Paris agreement. What may sound like bureaucratic measures with little real world, practical benefit misses the critical role this type of support provides,

In helping the Cook Islands in developing their ability to prepare, adapt and implement climate projects. GCF resources have allowed the Cook Islands to strengthen our institutional capacity, capabilities and empower our people, this is evident by our robust concuss building approach and collaboration between our national partners (Climate change Cook islands, Development Coordination division –Ministry of Finance and Economic management, Bank of the Cook Islands and Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce)

Cook Islands also hosted a side event that provided the pacific a platform to consult on the potential and appetite for developing a programmatic regional initiative. Which is critical in ensuring that our access to climate financing steps us towards the 1.5 temperature goals of the Paris agreement.

As a collective the pacific is consistently underfunded and greater concerted efforts must be made to ensure equitable access and support for all regions. All pacific island countries present at the consultations fully supported the initiative and preparatory phases and establishing a technical working group to ensure progress and coordination.

Climate Change Cook Islands