August 2013: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) Sri Lanka organized a Symposium on Community Based Adaptation (CBA) to Climate Change, which brought together over 150 stakeholders from across the country to discuss the challenges and possible solutions to climate change adaptation.

The event took place from 16-18 July 2013, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and highlighted the challenges of developing islands countries to climate-related disasters. Participants underscored the need to improve documentation, technical training and regular monitoring of adaptation projects.

The workshop offered participants training on: ecological conservation and climate change risks; climate change and disaster risk reduction (DRR); mainstreaming CBA into local planning; scaling up good practices; integrated water resource management (IWRM) as a response for climate variability; cultivation of traditional crops under improved soil management practices as an adaptive strategy; how to use the vulnerability risk assessment; and how to incorporate gender in adaptation projects.

The Mekong-Asia Pacific Community Based Adaptation Project (MAP CBA) is funded by Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid), implemented by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and delivered by the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP). [SGP Press Release]