Samoa took another step towards fulfilling its commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action, with the signing today of an agreement on a new project named the Third National Communication (3NC) and First Biennial Update Report (BUR).

The project focuses on climate change and aims to assist Samoa in the preparation and submission of its Third National Communication and First Biennial Update Report towards the fulfillment of its obligations under the United Nations Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), Ulu Bismarck Crawley and the Resident Representative of the UNDP Multi-Country Office for Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau, Jorn Sorensen, signed the 3NC & BUR Project Document in a brief ceremony at the OneUN House, Tuanaimato earlier today.

“The Government of Samoa, through MNRE, is pleased to partner with UNDP on this very important project. This will greatly assist Samoa on updating its Green House Gas (GHG) inventory and also support Samoa’s Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs),” said Ulu.

Over the next four years, the project aims to strengthen the technical and institutional capacity of Samoa to prepare and submit national communications and update reports to the UNFCCC. It will also assist in building national capacities to fulfill Samoa’s commitments under the convention and increase awareness on climate change issues. Additionally, the project will update information on national circumstances in relation to inventories of greenhouse gases.

“UNDP supports climate resiliency projects for Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), including Samoa, with projects that work to support integrated climate change strategies, advance cross-sectoral climate-resilient livelihoods, foster food security, promote climate-smart energy and infrastructure, and reduce risks. As part of UNDP SIDS offer, I am pleased to note that Samoa is party to the “climate promise” to leverage support to assist countries in enhancing their Nationally Determined Commitments. The review and update of the GHG inventory via this project will also assist in Samoa’s 2nd NDC submission to the UNFCCC,” said Mr Sorensen.

The total project cost is about US$1.02 million dollars, $852,000 of which is being contributed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through UNDP. The remaining amount of about $150,000 is co-financed by the Government of Samoa and UNDP. The project will be implemented by MNRE as the official GEF focal point.

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact:
Galumalemana Anne Rasmussen, ACEO GEF & Climate Change Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,  anne.rasmussen@mnre.gov.ws
Yvette Kerslake, UNDP MCO Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau, Tel: (685) 23670; yvette.kerslake@undp.org
                        
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UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle the planet’s most pressing environmental problems.   Since then, GEF has provided over $17 billion in grants and mobilized an additional $88 billion in financing for more than 4000 projects in 170 countries.