Organization/Network

Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT RRC.AP)

Posted: 07 December 2023

Updated: 18 January 2024

Asia - Thailand

BASIC INFORMATION

Overview

The Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT RRC.AP) empowers Asia-Pacific nations in environmental and sustainable development. Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) is an observer of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Secretariat of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

AIT RRC.AP prioritizes capacity building and technical services to achieve Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Paris Agreement, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through national, regional and global activities.

Headquarters: Pathum Thani, Thailand
Established: 1989

Mission

Our mission is to enhance capacity building and provide resources for policy setting towards sustainable development, acting as a science-policy interface by regional networking, processing and assessing information and knowledge for governments, local communities and other stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region.

Summary of Key Activities

Activity 1: Regional Training Workshops on Climate Adaptation
Activity 2: Mentoring and Training on Climate Finance, especially on Green Climate Fund (GCF)
Activity 3: Regional resource material development, such as e-learning materials
Activity 4: Designing and Conducting Webinars on Climate Adaptation
Activity 5: Support for Climate Adaptation Planning Tools

Activity 1: Regional Training Workshops on Climate Adaptation

AIT RRC.AP's Climate Change Cluster has designed, organized and implemented regional adaptation workshops and trainings on adaptation-related capacity building for various stakeholders, including national and local governments. We have conducted over 60 capacity building workshops for over 50 participating countries within Asia and the Pacific. Overall, we have trained over 1,200 participants through these Regional Training Workshops. We execute capacity building and knowledge sharing workshops empowering climate adaptation in Asia and the Pacific. Themes we work on include “disaster risk reduction”, “adaptation planning tools”, “accessing climate finance for adaptation planning”, “loss and damage”, “national adaptation planning support” and “locally led adaptation”.

Case for Activity 1

In 2023, we have conducted regional training workshops on the following:

“Regional Training Workshop on Building Cities Resilience to Climate and Disaster Risks” (supporting Making Cities Resilient 2030)
“Regional Training Workshop on Climate Adaptation Tools”
“Regional Training Workshop on National Adaptation Plan development process: Strengthening Capacity for multi-sectoral Involvement in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process in Asia Pacific Region”
“Training Workshop on Developing Concept Notes for the Green Climate Fund: Urban Climate Resilience in Indonesia”

Activity 2: Mentoring and Training on Climate Finance, especially on Green Climate Fund (GCF)

AIT RRC.AP have conducted online mentoring sessions for Green Climate Fund (GCF) to access climate finance. Since 2018, with the patronage of the Ministry of the Environment Japan (MOEJ), AIT RRC.AP has been affiliated in developing 27 GCF Concept Notes, with Green Climate Fund Funding Proposal (GCF FP) 150 from Bangladesh being successful in accessing climate finance. Online mentoring sessions in the form of follow-up surveys have been conducted for Bhutan, Cambodia and Nepal. Online mentoring sessions in the form GCF technical support have been conducted for Cambodia and Indonesia. Climate factsheets have been developed as a part of technical support work for GCF Concept Note.

Case for Activity 2

Since 2022, AIT RRC.AP has conducted follow-up surveys as a part of their mentoring activities on developing concept ideas to GCF Concept Notes. There was an online mentoring session conducted with Cambodia’s National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development Secretariat (NCCDS) in support of their GCF Concept Note Development. There was an online mentoring session conducted with Indonesia’s Gorontalo GCF Concept Note Development Stakeholders. Climate factsheets have also been developed for Nepal as a part of technical support work for GCF Concept Notes.

Activity 3: Regional resource material development, such as e-learning materials

AIT RRC.AP has been involved in the design, development and implementation of e-learning videos and interactive e-learning with respect to Climate Adaptation. We also develop regional resource materials such as Technical Guidelines, Situation Assessments, Action Plans. We partner with Institute for Global Environment Strategies (IGES) and Asia Pacific Adaptation Information Platform (AP-PLAT) to develop e-learning materials. We also intend to partner with Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (UNEP APAN) and Green Climate Fund (GCF) in developing climate adaptation related e-learning.

Case for Activity 3

The following e-learning materials have been developed by AIT RRC.AP:

Climate Adaptation and Resilience Building through Sustainable Waste and Resource Management – uploaded to AP-PLAT website.
Increasing Coherence in Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction – uploaded to AP-PLAT website.
Developing Concept Notes for The GCF Simplified Approval Process – uploaded to AP-PLAT website.
Use of the S8 Downscaler (S8DS), a climate downscaling tool – uploaded to AIT RRC.AP Climate Change website.

Activity 4: Designing and conducting Webinars on Climate Adaptation

AIT RRC.AP has been involved in the design, development and implementation of online webinars related to climate adaptation. We partner with various like-minded people and organizations to showcase relevant materials on climate adaptation.

Case for Activity 4

The following webinars have been designed, developed, and implemented by AIT RRC.AP:

Webinar on Strengthening Asia and Pacific Regions’ Cities, Local Governments, and Communities Resilient to Climate Change and Disaster
Webinar on “Nature-Based Solutions"
Webinar on Accessing Climate Finance for Local Adaptation

Activity 5: Support for Climate Adaptation Planning Tools.

The following adaptation tools are hosted and managed by AIT RRC.AP:

FloodS

FloodS is an online flood simulation tool that supports mitigation planning by evaluating the effects of flood flow control measures.

S8DS

The design of adaptation solutions requires climate change scenarios to assess vulnerabilities. The S8 Downscaler (S8DS) is hosted on the RRC.AP server to provide a free and easily accessible service to the user to enhance the use of S8DS for regional climate adaptation planning.