The Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) and The University of Melbourne (UoM) have collaboratively co-designed and successfully delivered two high-impact, seven-week capacity building programs to 30 policymakers from Small Island States across the Indo-Pacific. The program has been delivered in-person in Melbourne (six weeks) and Apia (one week). Our 2025/26 program will extend this partnership to include the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), with five policymakers from Small Island States in the Caribbean participating. We have established a growing Community of Practice of Indo-Pacific policymakers that are equipped with skills, networks, and resources to meaningfully drive action on climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience and just energy transition priorities in their respective countries.
The overarching aim of the program is to empower policymakers to advance action on local priorities. While each program has been nuanced in focus, they represent an immersive leadership, capacity development, knowledge exchange and networking initiative. Fellows undertake training, mentoring, knowledge exchange, as well as dedicated time for the development of an individual climate policy/practice output based on the Fellow’s local needs and priorities. Each Fellow is paired with a content expert based at the UoM who acts as a mentor. Cultural learning experiences that elevate Australia’s First Nations and Traditional Knowledge and practices are integrated throughout the program.
At the end of the six-week program in Melbourne, Fellows present on their climate policy/practice output to the Fellowship cohort, their mentors, internal and external stakeholders. Beyond strengthening public speaking and presentation skills, this facilitates bidirectional knowledge exchange between the cohort and key stakeholders and strengthens each Fellow’s capacity to implement their output in-country.