16 countries from Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Africa and Arab States regions have gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka for a global exchange workshop on climate action. The gathering begins today and will last until March 7. The workshop aims for countries to share best practices, celebrate achievements and explore lessons learned from their work.
With the support of the Government of Japan, the United Nations Development Programme has assisted developing countries in translating their national climate pledges (also known as their Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs) into tangible actions since 2021. The funding is implemented through UNDP’s flagship initiative, Climate Promise.
Speaking on Japan’s contribution, His Excellency Katsuki Kotaro, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Japan to Sri Lanka, noted that “we welcome the workshop involving 16 countries including Sri Lanka aimed at supporting decarbonization and climate adaptation efforts in developing nations, to be held through Japan’s supplementary budget. We anticipate that initiatives contributing to Green Transformation facilitated by Japanese companies’ technologies and participation will not only support climate goals but also aid Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. We express our renewed respect to Ms. KUBOTA Azusa, Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka, for her efforts in implementing this project and organizing the workshop and look forward to continued collaboration in the future.”
During the workshop, countries will also share lessons learned on leveraging funding from Japan to advance their NDCs towards net-zero emissions and climate-resilient development.
“The Climate Promise has been a catalytic tool for UNDP to support Sri Lanka with its ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14.5 per cent by 2030,” said Ms Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka. “We are honoured to host this global event in Colombo to facilitate the sharing of experiences and knowledge across countries and for UNDP to lay a strategic foundation to support counties towards the 3rd generation of NDCs.”
The workshop provides a crucial platform to explore key areas of climate action, including just transition, sustainable agriculture practices, clean energy and transport, adaptation, and more. Around 40 participants will share knowledge, field experiences, challenges, and solutions from their respective countries, emphasizing the importance of fostering partnerships and enhancing visibility efforts.
Dr Anil Jasinghe, Senior Additional Secretary & Chief Executive Officer, Climate Change Office, Presidential Secretariat noted that “Initiatives such as ‘Climate Promise’ are crucial for countries like Sri Lanka to accelerate our journey towards reaching climate action targets…On behalf of the Government and the Japan-funded Climate Promise Project implementing countries present here, I would like to take this opportunity to thank UNDP and the Government of Japan for initiating these timely, crucial development projects and supporting countries to transition towards green development pathways.”
In 2022, under the second phase of the Japan Supplementary Budget (JSB) USD 23.6 million were allocated to support the implementation of the NDC goals in 16 countries across Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Africa, and Arab State regions.
