Department of ENVIRONMENT and
CLIMATE ACTION (ECA)

OACPS > Department of Environment and Climate Action (ECA)

The Department of Environment and Climate Action coordinates the Secretariat’s activities in the area of sustainable development, with a focus on food security and climate change. It undertakes and ensures the follow-up of activities in the area of environmental protection, and coordinates activities related to the Blue Economy, with special consideration to fisheries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Department seeks to:

  • support Members of the OACPS to undertake climate change adaptation and mitigation actions;
  • protect biodiversity;
  • promote the sustainable use and management of natural resources;
  • strengthen ocean governance, including fisheries and aquaculture; and
  • build resilience to disasters from natural hazard risks.

The ECA was created following a decision at the 110th Session of the then, ACP Council of Ministers at the 9th Summit of OACPS Heads of State and Government in Nairobi, Kenya in December 2019.

Assistant Secretary-General: Ms Cristelle PRATT

Assistant Secretary-General of the Environment and Climate Action Department – Citizen of the Republic of Fiji

ASG Pratt brings thirty years’ experience in policy and practice to the OACPS, and has worked in both the public and private sectors as well as at national and multi-lateral levels. She served as Director General/CEO of the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC). Ms. Pratt has also served various other regional and international organisations, providing strategic policy and technical advice on climate change, risk resilience and ocean governance.

Immediately prior to her appointment, Ms Pratt served as the Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), located in Suva, Fiji. As chief advisor and deputy to the PIF Secretary General, she was able to support the realisation of a reformed, prioritised regionalism agenda under the Framework for Pacific Regionalism and development of a strategic narrative for the Blue Pacific Continent.

The projects and programmes of the department are

Affiliated programmes

Recent news from the ECA Department

OACPS Nations to Launch Climate Action Statement at COP29

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OACPS Ministers Forge Path Towards Accelerating Actions for Sustainable and Resilient Oceans, Inland Waters and Fisheries at 8th Meeting  in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania

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Declaration of the 7th Meeting of OACPS Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture

High-level fisheries and aquaculture policymakers from the Member States of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), as well as leading fisheries professionals and practitioners met in Accra, Ghana for the 7th Meeting of OACPS Ministers in charge of Fisheries and Aquaculture from 5-8 April 2022.

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OACPS Seminar brings together experts to discuss IUU Fishing within Members of the OACPS

Brussels, 28 February 2022/OACPS: The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) convened a virtual seminar on Combatting Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Member States of the […]

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CLIMSA’21: Climate services stakeholders from the tri-continental OACPS regions come together at the ClimSA Programme inaugural forum

Brussels, 30 November 2021/OACPS. Over 400 participants from the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the Europe Union (EU) gathered to take part in […]

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