Deep Dive Project takes a dive into accelerating implementation of climate change initiatives in RMI

February 10, 2021

Participants at the NDC Deep Dive Project Inception Workshop at the International Convention Centre, Majuro.

Strengthening the climate change curriculum in Marshallese schools and translation of climate change education materials into their vernaculars will be one of the focus of the  Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Deep Dive Project in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This is part of the RMI NDC Partnership Plan 2019 – 2021 that contributes to strengthening coordination and sectoral transformation initiatives on climate change.

These priority areas and more were discussed at the inception workshop for the RMI Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Deep Dive project, which was held on Thursday 28 January 2021 at the International Convention Centre, Majuro. The workshop increased awareness of participants on the objectives of the Deep Dive Project and enabled a forum to strengthen key activities that would be implemented and arrangements critical to ensuring an impact-oriented project to benefit RMI. During his opening remarks, the Deputy Chief Secretary Jefferson Barton of RMI  said that an important milestone of the Deep Dive project is funding the priority activities of the RMI NDC Partnership Plan 2019 - 2021 which contribute to meeting RMI’s NDC targets".

The objective of the RMI NDC Deep Dive Project is to accelerate implementation of priority action towards meeting RMI’s NDCs and it is funded through the European Commission by the Government of Germany and Government of Spain. This will be done through strengthening existing systems and efforts towards coordination and collaboration amongst the various stakeholders on climate change issues as well as supporting sectoral transformation projects that would contribute to NDC implementation.

The NDCs are targets by countries submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) articulating emission reduction efforts bounded by a certain timeframe towards limiting global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees. In his opening remarks, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Resident Representative Levan Bouadze said it is pleasing to note that the Deep Dive project will empower and assist vulnerable groups such as women and youth, by ensuring greater participation in climate responses”.

For the next two years, the total funding of US$1.6 million for the project will be focused on priority activities including:

·         continuation of garden learning programs at selected schools in Majuro and outer islands, strengthening climate change curriculum in school and translation of climate change education materials into Marshallese language.

·         funding risk communication and surveillance plans for environmental health program

·         continuation of gender-based violence program in the selected outer islands

·         ensuring empowerment of youth and vulnerable groups towards climate response

·         supporting implementation of the Electricity Roadmap by funding its Human Resource Coordinator

·         strengthening existing coordination structures under oversight of the Tile Til Eo Committee

·         conducting human resource assessment to strengthen capacity in NDC implementation across RMI.  

The workshop was blessed by Rev. Julian Riklon with official opening remarks by Deputy Chief Secretary, Jefferson Barton and UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Resident Representative Levan Bouadze and was attended by over 30 participants based in Majuro. It also included development partners such as Asia Development Bank (ADB), Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Government officials and Civil Society Organization representatives.  

During their remarks, both Deputy Chief Secretary Jefferson Barton and UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Resident Representative Levan Bouadze acknowledged the support by the Governments of Germany and Government of Spain in providing the funds to make this project a reality for RMI as well UNDP’s role in administering the project working closely with the existing coordination systems set up by the RMI Government. The workshop was facilitated by the RMI NDC Deep Dive Project Manager Jane Ishiguro with support from Climate Change Directorate and National Energy Office staff and included an online forum of participants from UNDP Headquarters in New York and UNDP Pacific Office in Suva.

For media queries, please contact:

Jane Ishiguro, Project Manager, NDC Deep Dive Project, Email: jane.ishiguro@undp.org