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Republic of Vanuatu’s First Biennial Transparency Report (FBTR)
Under the Vanuatu’s First Biennial Transparency Report to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Submitted by: Ministry of Climate Change, Republic of Vanuatu
Executive summary
This inaugural Biennial Transparency Report for Vanuatu serves as a comprehensive overview of the nation’s efforts to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement. It encompasses critical aspects of Vanuatu’s national circumstances, greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, progress tracking for nationally determined contributions (NDCs), climate change impacts and adaptation strategies, as well as financial and technological support needs and responses related to climate change. Additionally, the report addresses initiatives aimed at averting, minimizing, and addressing loss and damage associated with climate change impacts.
I. National Circumstances and Institutional Arrangements
Vanuatu’s unique geographical and socio-economic context is characterized by its status as a small island developing state (SIDS), facing significant vulnerabilities due to climate change. This section outlines the institutional frameworks in place to facilitate climate governance, including coordination mechanisms among government agencies, civil society, and local communities. The report emphasizes Vanuatu's commitment to integrating climate action into national development plans, promoting resilience, and ensuring sustainable development.
II. National Greenhouse Gas Inventory
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This UNDP-supported, GEF-LDCF funded project, "Vanuatu Coastal Adaptation Project (VCAP)", is working to build resilience through improved infrastructure, sustained livelihoods, and increased food production.
These efforts (with National Government as Key Collaborators) aim to improve the quality of life in targeted vulnerable areasor communities in the coastal zone of the island nation.
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Vanuatu is among the most vulnerable countries on earth to the increasing impacts of climate change, including climate-related natural disasters and the effects of slow-onset events such as sea-level rise and ocean acidification.
As the effects of global warming manifest and the hazards of climate change arise at accelerating rates, there is a need to shift the paradigm towards the standardised and mainstreamed use of science-based climate information, at multiple timescales, to support resilient development pathways.
The proposed project will support this paradigm shift through the strengthening and application of Climate Information Services (CIS) in five targeted development sectors: tourism; agriculture; infrastructure; water and fisheries.
More specifically, the project will build the technical capacity in Vanuatu to harness and manage climate data; develop and deliver practical CIS tools and resources; support enhanced coordination and dissemination of tailored information; enhance CIS information and technology infrastructure; and support the application of relevant CIS through real-time development processes, for more resilient outcomes.
The project has a focus on addressing information gaps and priority needs of target beneficiaries at national, provincial and local community levels across the five priority sectors.
The project will deliver enhanced:
capacity and capability of national development agents, to understand, access and apply CIS
CIS communications, knowledge products, tools, and resources for practical application to development processes.
reliability, functionality, utility and timeliness of underlying CIS delivery systems and data collection infrastructure.
scientific data, information and knowledge of past, present and future climate to facilitate innovated and resilient development.
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The Effectiveness of Formal and Traditional Learning about Climate and Disaster Resilience in Vanuatu
by Charles Andrew Evan Pierce
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GENDER EQUALITY, DISABILITY, AND SOCIAL INCLUSION (GEDSI) ACTION PLAN FOR CLIMATE INFORMATION SERVICES FOR RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT IN VANUATU (VAN KIRAP)
A Roadmap to Promoting Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion in Climate Information Services in Vanuatu.
This gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) action plan has been developed for SPREP for the country of Vanuatu. It has been produced in addition to a GEDSI analysis for the Climate Information Services for Resilient Development in Vanuatu (Van KIRAP) project.
Following the United Nations Climate Change Gender Action Plan, this gender, disability and social inclusion action plan sets out outcomes and outputs under five priority areas that aim to advance knowledge and understanding of gender and inclusion-responsive climate action and mainstreaming.
1. Capacity building, knowledge management and communication
2. Gender balance, inclusive participation, and inclusive leadership
3. Coherence
4. Gender and inclusive-responsive implementation and means of implementation
5. Monitoring and reporting
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The VanKIRAP Technical Report - Cost Recovery Mechanism and Models Appropriate for the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department.
The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department (VMGD) is a government department within the Ministry of Climate Change, Meteorology, Geo-hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Management. The department was established under the Vanuatu Meteorological Service Act of 1989. The Meteorology, Geological Hazards and Climate Change Act of 2016 superseded this Act replaced. The new Act gives direction to the operations of VMGD. Specifically, it directs the department to collect, collate and make available meteorological, climate, climate change, and geohazard data and information, including archiving such data or information, amongst other duties (Republic of Vanuatu, 2017). Furthermore, the Act allows the department to achieve its mandate of installing and maintaining a national network of meteorological observation stations and all other necessary technical installations and equipment (Republic of Vanuatu, 2017).
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By incorporating climate data and information to improve the resilience of road infrastructure, SPREP is assisting Vanuatu through the Climate Information Services for Resilient Development Planning in Vanuatu (VanKIRAP) project in reviewing and updating the current version of the Vanuatu Rural Road Design Guide. The Gap Analysis Report presents findings from a global literature analysis and benchmarking effort in regard to the identification of climate resilience challenges and gaps in the current edition of the Vanuatu road design guidance. It also identifies potential for improvement.
The gap analysis draws upon a series of input documents to develop a log of gaps, issues, and opportunities that need to be addressed in the new design guidance to be developed by the VanKIRAP project. The report also draws upon the issues, gaps, and opportunities identified through stakeholder consultations with national stakeholders within the Infrastructure sector, including the Public Works Department, Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department, and others. Funding for the review and development of the new Vanuatu Road Design Guide is provided by the Green Climate Fund.
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The project considers the current Vanuatu’s Off-Grid RE and EE Promotion Program as the main baseline effort towards achieving the country’s NERM targets. This program includes the installation of RE-based (mainly hydro, and solar) power generation and distribution systems, as well as some Energy Efficiency interventions. This project aims to fill in critical gaps in Vanuatu’s baseline program.
Policy and planning: The project will identify important policy and planning gaps and institutionalize existing policies and plans in place (NERM-IP Plan and NERM) in the baseline program that it will fill, such as guidelines, standards, and incentive policies.
Institutional: The project will focus and represent relatively innovative incremental aspects. System management will be a critical feature in the sustainability of rural RE systems and their replication and thus an instrumental contribution towards meeting NERM targets.
Capacity development: While Vanuatu has substantial baseline program efforts to install RE systems in off-grid areas, training is very limited and generally consists of one-time training upon installation of systems. For larger-scale systems, capturing wind energy, equipment sourcing, and installation capacity is absent.
Green transport: The project will aim to set example of green transport mechanism by introducing electric vehicles
Financing for energy efficiency: The focus will be given to educating the commercial private sector to set up a loan or equity financing mechanism for Energy Efficiency Equipment and productive uses in rural areas.
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Director General , Mrs Esline Garaebiti ( brief statement):
The year 2021 also set milestones for the ministry in reviewing existing policies and legal frameworks with the development of relevant indicators targets. The Climate change and Disaster Risk Reduction policy 2022-2030 is reviewed and its implementation plan was developed. Other reporting required under the United nation framework convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been completed, particularly the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the Third National Communication (TNC), and the First Biennial Updated Report (FBUR). Numerous materials for education, outreach, and awareness have been developed by all departments and disseminated during national and international days for Meteorology, Environment, Disaster, Energy, and Climate Change.
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Director General's - Mrs Esline Garaebiti Statement brief:
The year 2022 was a challenging and successful one for the Ministry of Climate Change. The achievements outlined herein, is a demonstration of a strong and dedicated team effort by the Ministry. The year 2022 began with the COVID19 lock down of nearly two months, which set us some challenging targets. This meant reprioritising existing work schedules, adjusting budgets and resource flows as well as mobilizing staff to ensure the deadlines were met while still balancing the need to keep on track with existing initiatives and priorities. I will leave the Directors in their Department Reports to provide details on the successful achievement according to their Business Plans activities for the year. I wish to point out that this would not have been achieved without the hard work of the officers serving on the Ministry ofClimate Change team
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The Paris Agreement was adopted by consensus on 12 December 2015, during the 21st session of Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and entered into force on 4 November 2016. This landmark agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and requires all Parties to establish robust measuring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems and to communicate their efforts to UNFCCC. In this context, on 22-Jul-21, GEF approved a project identification form (PIF) and project preparation grant (PPG) submitted by FAO titled ‘Strengthening capacity in the Energy, Agriculture, Forestry, and other Land-use Sectors for Enhanced Transparency in the Implementation and Monitoring of Vanuatu’s Nationally Determined Contribution’.
The project aims to develop Vanuatu’s institutional and human capacities for complying with Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) reporting requirements of the Paris Agreement, and implementation and monitoring of Vanuatu’s Nationally Determined Contribution focusing on Energy, Agriculture, Forestry and other Land-use Sectors. With the MOCC Department of Environment Protection and Conservation (DEPC) of Vanuatu & Department of Climate Change as executing partner, and CBIT as resource partner, the GEF-7 has entrusted FAO for the preparation and implementation of the project.
The project will be executed under the following components and outcomes:
Project Component 1: Strengthening Vanuatu’s institutional arrangements for a robust MRV system for NDC climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.
Outcomes of Project Component 1:
1.1 NDC transparency system in place following the UNFCCC modalities, procedures, and guidelines.
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Vanuatu is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change and disaster risks, routinely being at or near the top of global risk indexes. This high ranking is primarily due to the country’s extreme exposure to natural hazards as well as its limited adaptive capacity. Temperatures in Vanuatu have already increased by approximately 1˚C and are expected to increase further by at least 1˚C by 2030, with increases of up to 3.2˚C by 2090. This increase in temperature is coupled with an increase in sea level of approximately 6mm annually since 1993. This increase is expected to continue and accelerate into the future, with cumulative increases of up to 17cm by 2030 and 63cm by 2090. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is also predicted to increase, and the changing profile of cyclones, storm surges, landslides, flooding, and droughts will result in severe impacts on lives, livelihoods and infrastructure across Vanuatu, affecting both human communities and natural ecosystems.
In recent years, the Government of Vanuatu (GoV) has taken significant steps to improve resilience to natural disasters and adaptive capacity to climate change adaptation. These steps include:
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The Vanuatu National Climate Change Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2022 - 2030 second edtion
Vanuatu is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change and disaster risks. The island nation experiences cyclones, storm surges, landslides, flooding and droughts, which may become more intense as a result of climate change. Vanuatu is also highly exposed to geophysical threats such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as human, animal and plant diseases, and human-caused disasters.
The vision of this Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Policy is for Vanuatu to be a nation whose communities, environment and economy are resilient to the impacts of climate change and disaster risks. Risks cannot be completely eliminated; however, this policy provides a framework through which risks can be identified, assessed, reduced and managed.
At the global, regional and national levels, disaster risk reduction and climate change agencies, activities and funding have been previously managed separately. A recent shift in philosophy now views the integration of climate change and disaster risk reduction initiatives as the best way to make use of resources and avoid duplication of effort. Vanuatu started this process with the establishment of the National Advisory Board on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction in 20121 . The government undertook a risk governance assessment to analyse Vanuatu’s climate change and disaster risk governance capacity and needs at both national and local levels.2 The policy incorporates recommendations from that assessment and draws on local, provincial and national consultations.
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The UNOSAT- NORAD Project Presentation,being presented to the NAB Members on the 3rd NAB Meeting on 19th of July 2022, for the NAB Board Members to endorsed the Project.
Presenter: Ian Huri, CommonSensing, UNOSAT
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Vanuatu submits this updated and enhanced nationally determined contribution (NDC), in which our politicalleaders, technical experts and civil society have considered how our nation can move to a global net-zerogreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions society (Article 4.1) whilst being resilient to the unavoidable impacts ofclimate change (Article 7.1), minimising, averting and addressing loss and damage (Article 8) in the contextof the long-term temperature goal (Article 2), while determining our financial needs (Article 9) that shall beprovided by developed country Parties in continuation of their existing obligations under the UNFCCC.Vanuatu is already a carbon-negative country. With forests covering 70% of its islands, and its maritimejurisdiction comprising 98% of the nation, the big ocean state of Vanuatu is already a carbon sink -absorbing more carbon dioxide than it produces - thus freely providing a critical environmental serviceto carbon emitting countries around the world. Moving beyond our current Net Zero status, this NDCrecommits Vanuatu to rapidly phasing out fossil fuels, deeply decarbonising and transitioning completelyto a circular economy.Pursuant to Article 4 of the Paris Agreement, and to demonstrate that Vanuatu is an action-focused leaderin its calls for all Parties to make ambitious commitments to limit the global average temperature increase to1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, Vanuatu’s NDC reflects the highest ambitions on adaptation, mitigation,and loss and damage. As per Decision 4/CMA.1, Vanuatu’s information provides clarity, transparency andunderstanding.This updated and enhanced NDC contains 20 Mitigation commitments, 116 Adaptation commitments, 12Loss & Damage commitments and is based on the ambitions, policies and workplans of Vanuatu's frontlinesector agencies.
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Pacific Islands are among the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change as they are affected by repeated volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, cyclones, floods, droughts, and invasive sea level rise, which are rapidly eroding nations’ exceptional terrestrial and marine biodiversity, green coastal lands, nearshores, blue reefs and other aquatic resources. Economic development, and demographic pressure on land and marine resources, including overfishing,have already exacerbated these challenges. The loss of biodiversity, coastal lands, and aquatic life, has also had major societal and gender implications in shaping the quality of life for women, girls, boys and the elderly, including reduced livelihood opportunities, which are undermining women and youth’s voices in the conservation and management of communities' global commons.
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Flagship initiatives are the first, best or most promising examples of successful ecosystem restoration that a country or region would like to be globally known for. The main role of Flagships is to provide inspiration to other countries and regions for scaling up successful restoration efforts, and to attract global attention and investments. Selected Flagships will act as a basis for joint learning across the world. Up to 10 Flagships selected in the first round will be launched in 2022, likely in conjunction with the UN General Assembly in September. All official Flagships of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration will feature prominently in the UN Decade's publications, campaigns, outreach, advocacy and education efforts going forward, and will be listed in the UN Secretary-General's Report to the General Assembly (UNGA) at its 81st session.
Brief description of project, key activities and outputs, how will it be implemented?]
The SIDS Ecosystem Restoration Flagship (SIDS Flagship) concept note was submitted to and approved by the UN Decade Executive Board on December 17th 2021. In a nutshell, this Flagship will put marine and coastal ecosystems at the heart of economic policy and decision-making in the era of COVID 19. This SIDS-led initiative will also put a face to marine and coastal ecosystem restoration with SIDS leading by example and inspiring pride.
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This project aims to Respond Vanuatu’s obligations under para 29 of CMA3 UNFCCC decision, and to the urgent call by UN Secretary General, UNFCCC SG and COP26/COP27 Presidencies for all countries to submit a more ambitious NDC before COP27 to reflect national sectoral priorities and highest-level ambitions on adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage.
Vanuatu’s 2021 NDC mitigation component remains the same, while 166 Adaptation Targets and 12 Loss & Damage Targets have been added, based fully on 38 existing sector policies.
The expected outcome of this NDC revision is to ensure that Vanuatu’s highest level climate priorities of adaptation and loss & damage are reflected, and that Vanuatu’s NDC comprehensively addresses all contributions it plans to make to meet the Goals of the Paris Agreement. This will support Vanuatu in its efforts to raise international climate finance, as well as showcase the severity of climate impacts and need for urgent action in support of grassroots communities and islands.
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The Project Profile form - Enhanced NDC NAB Project profile form
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Definition of SubdivisionFor the purpose of this policy, a subdivision is defined as the division of an existing registered lease or registration of a new lease into two (2) or more lots by way of subleases, derivative leases or community titles. Such developments are still subject to the written consent of the Director of Land Surveys per the provisions of Section 12(a) of the Land Leases Act (CAP 163).
Purpose of this policyA To provide a clear purpose and guidelines by which subdivisions may be created and to establish the parameters of the administrative processes to achieve the purpose.B To ensure that the creation of subdivisions results in environmentally and socially sustainable development and an improved quality of life for residents with suitable standards of amenity, access, affordability, disaster risk reduction and health and safety.C To provide equity for all landowners and residents including present and future generations by taking into consideration cultural, economic, and environmental values attached to the land being subdivided.Environmentally & socially sustainableImproved quality of lifeSuitable standards of amenity & access Affordability Disaster riskreductionHealth & SafetyFigure 1: Outcomes of a sound Subdivision Policy.3 General principlesA This Policy is subject to and complements all existing laws of the country. Particular laws whichhave relevance are:i. Land
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PRE-CONCEPT FOR A REGIONAL PROJECT/PROGRAMME - for the Integrating Flood and Drought Management and Early Warning for Climate Change Resilience in the Pacific Islands project.
(Adaptation fund)
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The Project Profile Form - Integrating Flood and Drought Management and Early Warning for Climate Change Resilience in the Pacific Islands
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The Project Profile Form - Integrating Flood and Drought Management and Early Warning for Climate Change Resilience in the Pacific Islands
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A new blue green economic opportunity for North Efate is now ready for development in the Forari Bay area. The Forari Bay Development Company’s vision to create a multi-purpose North Efate development to serve as a second major peri-urban hub for Efate.
Key Activities:
The development will provide:
New domestic green port for Efate to serve as main inter-island shipping hub (powered by Renewable Energy)
New domestic green fleet (renewable energy powered domestic fleet of 12 ships)
New green slipway to service full domestic fleet and international vessels needing repair and maintenance while in Vanuatu waters (powered by Renewable Energy)
Trade centre for productive sector products from Provinces (raw and value-added) for domestic and international trade
Manufacturing centre for renewable energy products (e-vehicles, renewable energy products)
Agriculture/Horticulture high production high demand products
Outputs:
(Readiness) Complete Master Plan, Government Approvals,Sites Establisment. (USD 1m)
A totally green port, infrastructure system and transport and regional waste management facility. (USD 30.0m)
Slipway to improve the safety of vessels and passengers within Vanuatu waters. (USD 3.2m)
Food and niche Vanuatu horticulture products milled,processed and exported (USD 4.2m)
A vibrant climate resilient trading green port (USD 35.4m)
A sustainable fishery (USD 10.0m)
Total overall Project Costs Estimated to be USD 250 million
Implementation:
Construction Process Generally
Managed by Forari Bay Development Company appointed Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor, Financial Controller and Programme Manager with assistance from Specialist Design Consultants as required.
Preliminary Concept
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The project from department of Energy.
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