Organization/Network

Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN)

Posted: 11 December 2023

Updated: 23 January 2024

Asia, Oceania - Thailand

BASIC INFORMATION

Overview

The Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) serves as a knowledge platform to equip adaptation practitioners in the region with the information, knowledge, and tools to design, implement and monitor climate change adaptation measures, foster access to technologies and finance, and build capacity for Integrating climate change adaptation into national development policies, strategies and plans.

With support from the Ministry of Environment of the Government of Japan, APAN was developed and launched by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2009 under the Global Adaptation Network (GAN). APAN has established close partnerships with key organizations and has become an important adaptation knowledge mobilizer in Asia and the Pacific Region.

Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand
Established: 2009

Mission

The mission of APAN is to build climate change resilient and sustainable human systems, ecosystems and economies through the mobilisation of knowledge, enhanced institutional capacity and informed decision making‐processes, and facilitated access to finance and technologies.

Summary of Key Activities

Activity 1: Knowledge sharing and networking
Activity 2: Expansion of global initiatives at the regional level
Activity 3: Knowledge dissemination and capacity building

Activity 1: Knowledge sharing and networking

APAN opens avenues for exchanging diverse knowledge sources as well as networking among adaptation practitioners. Every two years, APAN holds the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum (APAN Forum) in collaboration with various organisations.

Case for Activity 1

The APAN Forum is considered Asia-Pacific’s largest and longest standing gathering of adaptation practitioners. It serves as a primary regional platform for adaptation practitioners to meet, exchange knowledge and experiences, and collaborate towards the pertinent outcomes and practical solutions that are needed to address the challenges of climate change.

Activity 2: Expansion of global initiatives at the regional level

APAN provides convening, facilitation and technical support to several global initiatives such as the Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative (LAKI) and the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities – Network Asia (EPIC-N Asia), etc. and their articulation at the regional level.

Case for Activity 2

Under the auspices of the Global Adaptation Network (GAN), APAN provides technical support in the implementation of adaptation knowledge initiatives in the region particularly in the identification of adaptation knowledge gaps and solutions. APAN assists in the implementation of LAKI in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and UNEP to deliver on the key adaptation knowledge gaps presented at the 8th APAN Forum. APAN also participates in convening activities for Asia-Pacific universities to deliver on knowledge generation activities imperative to bridging adaptation knowledge gaps.

Activity 3: Knowledge dissemination and capacity building

APAN organises technical webinars to increase understanding of emerging adaptation issues and key policy discussions. The network also publishes quarterly newsletters and bi-monthly digests to disseminate information, knowledge, evidence and learning resources to adaptation practitioners.

Case for Activity 3

Building on its existing network of organisations, APAN has established information, knowledge and practice platforms.The Secretariat has developed strategies to collate, process and disseminate adaptation knowledge products and information to close to 8,000 subscribers of the APAN electronic direct messaging (EDM) system, APAN Newsletter and APAN Adaptation Digest.

Along with these publications, the Network also conducts series of technical webinars serving as deep dive sessions for regional climate adaptation practitioners and policymakers on the important outcomes and themes emerging out of the COPs.