Climate change has been identified as the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and well- being of Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs), and presents major challenges to the ability of governments to adapt and respond effectively. Despite doing little to contribute to the cause, the Pacific region is disproportionately affected. Climate change is already having significant impacts on communities, infrastructure, ecosystems, water supply, human health and livelihoods.
Both climate change and weather-related disasters are complex cross-cutting issues with multidimensional impacts on sustainable development. As a result, actions taken to address these challenges should be both multi-sectoral and holistic, with the aim of reducing the duplication of efforts on-the-ground. In response to this, the ‘Institutional Strengthening in Pacific Island Countries to Adapt to Climate Change’ (ISACC) project has been developed to provide dedicated support at the national level. This project aims to strengthen the institutional and human capacity of PICTs to access and manage new sources of finance and, thereby, effectively coordinate and implement innovative, multi-sectoral approaches for combatting global climate change and related disaster risks.