The ICA-AP Regional Capacity Building Program on SDG-13: Climate Action, themed ‘Save the Environment to Sustain Future Generations’ was held from November 19 to 21,  at  the Cooperative League of Thailand (CLT) Training Center in Bangkok. The program was co-organized by the ICA-EU Partnership, All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives and CLT.

ICA-AP is committed to strengthening the capacity of members in responding to various challenges and ‘Climate Change’ is one that needs immediate attention.  ICA is working to strengthen the know-how and skills of the cooperatives in the SDGs and helping cooperative enterprises in responding to the UN’s call for action.

In most countries where ICA-AP members are present, agriculture and allied sectors including forestry and fisheries are main stay of life. Climate change and agriculture have a complex relationship. Land is a source of greenhouse emissions – agriculture, forestry and other land use account for 23% of the global greenhouse gas emissions and at the same time land acts as a sink and sequester carbon.  ICA members can take an important role in driving climate change actions.

The capacity building program was conceptualized and  designed in consultation with GIZ, Thailand, to build the capacity of leaders and managers of cooperatives. The objectives of the program were to raise awareness, enhance capacity and build partnerships among member cooperatives, and focus on three specific targets of SDG 13:

1. Target 13.B - mechanisms to address Climate Action
2. Target 13.3 - improve education, raise awareness and build human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
3. Target 13.2 - integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

The opening program was attended by Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP, Mr. Poramate  Intarachumnun,  Chairman, CLT, Ms. Francesca Gilli, Attache/Programme Officer  of the Cooperation Section, European Union Delegation in Thailand and Ms. Savitri Singh, Program Director, ICA-AP.

During a group activity at the training.

The sessions covered key themes such as ‘Change before Climate Change Us’ and ‘Triple Benefits of being More Efficient and Emitting Less’. At the end of the workshop, the 31 participants from eight countries across Asia and Africa had deepened their understanding on SDGs and its relevance for cooperatives. They were able to explore and analyse the impact of climate change on various sectors (agriculture, fisheries and consumer) and exchange good practices/lessons-learned on how to reduce or cope with climate change risks. The training provided them with:

• An understanding on the enabling environment and tools required to address climate change
• A cooperative mechanism to address climate action
• Methods to integrate climate action into the cooperative strategy/plan and
• Ways to monitor and evaluate the strategies/plans

The participants, dignitaries and speaker at the training program.