International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ICCAI)

The Australian Government’s five-year $328.2 million International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ICCAI) (2008 to 2013) is helping to address high priority adaptation needs in partner countries, focusing on small island developing states and least developed countries. The ICCAI aims to: a) Establish a sound policy, scientific and analytical basis for long-term Australian action to help developing partner countries adapt to the impacts of climate change; b) Increase understanding in partner countries of the impacts of climate change on their natural and socioeconomic systems; c) Enhance partner country capacity to assess key climate vulnerabilities and risks, formulate appropriate adaptation strategies and plans, and mainstream adaptation into decision making; and d) Identify and help finance priority adaptation measures to increase the resilience of partner countries to the impacts of climate change. ICCAI included two Pacific Programs supporting climate science research (PCCSP, the Pacific Climate Change Science Program) and climate adaptation planning (PASAP, the Pacific Adaptation Strategy Assistance Program), implemented separately from 2009 to 2011 and then combined and extended as the PacificAustralian Climate Change and Adaptation Program (PACCSAP) for a further two years from 2011. ICCAI was a commitment of $150 million over three years (2008-09 to 2010-11), extended in 2010 with a further $178.2 million for 2011-12 and 2012-13. Of the $328 million ICCAI funding, approximately $160 million was committed to the Pacific islands region and East Timor1 ; of which $64 million was allocated to three Pacific Programs - the PCCSP, PASAP and PACCSAP. Joint oversight of the ICCAI Programs was provided by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (DCCEE). DCCEE was responsible for implementation of the PASAP and the PACCSAP; while the Commonwealth Scientific and Industry Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) were responsible for implementation of the PCCSP and PACCSAP Science Program.