The Synergy Project “Adaptation to Climate Change through Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Agriculture, striving for Mitigation Co-Benefits” (Synergy) is an initiative by the Belgian provincial government of West Flanders, higher education institutions (HEIs) HOWEST University of Applied Sciences and VIVES University College, and various Philippine partner organizations to mainstream climate change adaptation initiatives in sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship in the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Sorsogon. The program seeks to be a model for other regions in the country. 

There are three clusters within the Synergy namely climate change, sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship. The goal is for the work of each cluster to cut across the work of the other clusters for integration of its added value, such as the case for the climate change (CC) cluster. Through the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) under CC cluster, Synergy is able to identify strategies to strengthen its engagements with selected local government units in the five provinces where they are currently operating through partner organizations. This is in line with one of Synergy’s goals to demonstrate resilience-building by developing capacities of partner organizations in understanding climate risks and vulnerabilities towards empowering communities, influencing local policies, plans and budgets, and improving access to climate finance. 

A series of knowledge and capacity building activities will be conducted for the local Synergy partners to strengthen their knowledge on climate change, in preparation for their role in assisting and supporting selected LGUs before the engagements on strategic climate action planning with resource mobilization using the climate impact chain analysis and Climate Change Adaptation Framework (CCAF) as pilot-tested tools in the areas of Guiuan in Eastern Samar, Coron in Palawan, and the province of Cebu. 

As the LGU selection process is still being finalized, a training team within the CC cluster, along with organizations like Philippine Movement on Climate Justice (PMCJ), Aksyon Klima (AK), and Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK) to prepare the learning material on climate change as an introduction to basic concepts including climate science and the impacts of climate change, climate risk concepts, global and national climate regime and institutional mechanisms, along with opportunities for accessing climate finance. 

The document, along with other learning tools, is intended for the roll-out of the facilitators’ training with partner organizations. Adjusting to the new normal that limited face-to-face learning sessions, the training team provided supplementary videos to continue assisting the partners with their learning sessions.