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| Asia-Pacific Climate Centre | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asia-Pacific Climate Centre |
| Formation | 2005 |
| Type | Intergovernmental non-profit |
| Headquarters | Busan, South Korea |
| Region served | Asia-Pacific |
Asia-Pacific Climate Centre is an intergovernmental research and policy hub focused on climate variability, climate change impacts, and resilience across the Asia-Pacific region. It engages with national meteorological services, regional institutions, and multilateral bodies to translate climate science into actionable information for risk reduction, sustainable development, and disaster preparedness. The Centre acts as a focal point for collaboration among scientific agencies, development banks, and United Nations entities to support climate services and adaptation planning.
The Centre was established amid rising concerns after events such as the 1997–1998 El Niño event, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and growing activity by organizations including the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Asian Development Bank that sought regional coordination. Early governance drew on precedents from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, the Pacific Islands Climate Prediction Project, and research networks associated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Global Framework for Climate Services. Key milestones included formal agreements with national agencies like the Korea Meteorological Administration and program launches aligned with conferences such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference series and regional summits hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The Centre's mission emphasizes improving climate information and services for decision-makers in countries across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation region, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and Pacific island states. Objectives include enhancing seasonal forecasting capacity drawing on methods from the Climatic Research Unit and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, supporting adaptation planning used by ministries modeled after the Ministry of Environment (Japan) approaches, and strengthening early warning systems comparable to initiatives by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. It aims to bridge operational agencies like the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia) with finance institutions such as the World Bank to mobilize investment in resilience.
The Centre's governance features a Board comprising representatives from national meteorological services (for example, the Meteorological Service Singapore, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and the China Meteorological Administration), UN agencies (including UNEP and UNESCO), and regional development partners like the Asian Development Bank and Green Climate Fund. Technical divisions mirror scientific clusters found at institutions such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the CSIRO, covering climate science, climate services implementation, capacity building, and policy engagement. A secretariat hosted in a partner city collaborates with academic centers like the University of the Philippines, the National University of Singapore, and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
Signature programs include seasonal-to-decadal prediction capacity-building modeled after the Predicting Climate for Agriculture and Resilience frameworks, sectoral risk assessments inspired by work at the Stockholm Environment Institute and the International Water Management Institute, and coastal resilience projects engaging stakeholders similar to the Pacific Community and the Cook Islands Government. The Centre runs training aligned with curricula from the Open University and knowledge platforms used by the Climate Knowledge Brokers Group to support national adaptation plans like those submitted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Pilot initiatives often partner with disaster management agencies such as Japan Meteorological Agency and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Philippines).
Research outputs range from technical reports synthesizing data streams from satellite programs like Landsat, Sentinel, and reanalysis datasets produced by ECMWF to policy briefs aimed at ministers and parliamentarians following formats used by the International Institute for Environment and Development. Publications include peer-reviewed articles coauthored with researchers at the University of Tokyo, the Indian Institute of Science, and the Australian National University, and assessment reports contributing to regional chapters in reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Centre maintains data portals and produces guidance on climate services similar to materials developed by the World Weather Research Programme.
Partnerships span multilateral organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Office for Project Services, and bilateral agencies including the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the United States Agency for International Development. Scientific collaborations involve the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and regional entities like the East-West Center and the Asia Development Alliance. The Centre works with finance partners including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and philanthropic funders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on climate-resilience investments.
Funding combines core contributions from member governments—examples include pledges by the Republic of Korea and partner states—project grants from multilateral lenders like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and donor-funded initiatives through entities such as the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund. Governance adheres to guidelines and audit practices comparable to those of the OECD and accountability frameworks used by the International Monetary Fund for program oversight. Periodic reviews and strategic plans are presented to stakeholders at meetings similar to the APEC Senior Officials' Meeting and regional climate fora hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
Category:Climate organizations Category:International research institutes Category:Asia-Pacific