reporter
Name Affiliation Title Kazunao Shibata Deputy Director, Global Environment Department and Director, Environmental Management and Climate Change Response Group, JICA
summary
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025
Organizers: Government of Vanuatu, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC)
Venue (Pavilion Name): Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion
speaker
Name Affiliation Title Kazunao Shibata, Deputy Director, Global Environment Department and Head, Environmental Management and Climate Change Group, JICA Timothy Graham Breeze, Climate Change Advisor, Pacific Regional Environment Programme Secretariat (SPREP), Vanuatu Nelson Kalo, Director, Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Climate, Geo-Hazards and Disaster Management, Vanuatu
Background and Objectives
The Pacific Innovation Forum for Climate and Environment (PIFCE) is a regional initiative endorsed by the Vanuatu Ministerial Council and supported by SPREP and the Pacific Climate Change Center, to promote innovative environmental technologies and solutions in the Pacific region. 2026 The biennial forum, to be held in Port Vila, Vanuatu in late 2026, will bring together governments, entrepreneurs, NGOs, CSOs, businesses, and academic institutions to promote cooperation, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for climate resilience and environmental protection.
This side event presented an overview and vision of PIFCE, provided direction for regional cooperation and innovation promotion, and explored partnership opportunities, including with JICA.
Contents
At this side event, the Vanuatu government introduced the objectives, content, and future plans of the Pacific Forum for Climate and Environmental Innovation (PIFCE), emphasizing the Forum’s important role as a biennial platform to promote climate resilience and environmental protection in the Pacific region. The government emphasized that the Forum will play an important role as a biennial platform to promote climate resilience and environmental protection in the Pacific.
SPREP explained the organization’s efforts to address climate and environmental challenges in the region, and made clear the significance of PIFCE in this context. He also pledged close cooperation for the success of the Forum and demonstrated his strong commitment to promoting regionally driven solutions.
JICA presented its efforts to improve climate resilience in the Pacific region through collaboration with regional organizations such as SPREP, PCCC, and SPC. Key activities include climate change preparedness, disaster risk reduction, resilient infrastructure development, water resources management, fisheries, environmental conservation, and waste management. In addition, JICA introduced the “Capacity Building Project on the Use of Innovative Solutions for Climate Change Resilience in the Pacific (ISPCCR)” to be implemented from 2024 to 2027, which will strengthen the innovation capabilities of the PCCC and promote cost-effective climate solutions in 14 island countries. He explained the promotion of the project.
As a result of this event, (1) a deeper understanding of PIFCE, (2) a shared commitment to innovation and regional cooperation, and (3) the identification of potential partners and cooperation opportunities to implement the event were advanced.
Mr. Shibata, Deputy Director, Global Environment Department, JICA, introduced JICA’s efforts to improve climate resilience in the Pacific region
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