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Addressing challenges posed by climate change requires significant financial resources. In the growing literature of climate change, “climate finance” refers to financial resources required to cover the costs of climate actions and investments2. Climate finance is complex because of the diversity of sources of funds, agents and channels to distribute the funds to intended beneficiaries at different levels and scales. The expected scale of climate finance is also significant. Developed countries have committed to mobilize new and additional resources for climate investments. It has been agreed at COP 15 in Copenhagen that as much as US$ 30 billion for 2010-2012 and US$ 100 billion by 2020 is to be mobilized to assist developing countries to cover the costs of climate mitigation and adaptation. The committed resources, however, are much lower than the estimated amount required to finance mitigation and adaptation actions. Estimates vary from around US $140-175 billion and $70-100 billion per year for the period of 2010-2050.3 Uncertainties remain on how the funds will be raised, managed and disbursed. One of the mechanisms to manage and channel international finance is the recently created Green Climate Fund (GCF). The GCF is expected to support projects, programs, policies, readiness and other activities in developing countries. The operational policies and modalities, including how countries can access the fund, are currently being negotiated.
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Flyer giving summary of technical report on climate science:
The impact of natural disasters and their poten- tial to increase as a result of climate change have received greater attention in recent years. With an onset of strategies, action plans and frameworkshave been put in place internationally. At a regional level, the strategies address this growing concern about the risks of disasters and the uncertain hazards from climate change. In 2005, the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005–2015 identified the following 5 priorities for action:
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Using land is the basis of life for the people of Vanuatu. As the nation develops, population grows, threats of climate change intensify, and competition for land grows, there is an increasing need for appropriate and effective land use planning. It is of vital importance that Vanuatu’s people adequately plan the use of their land, not only for today, but also the future.Land and its use is, and has always been, a fundamental part of Vanuatu’s culture and identity. What Vanuatu’s people do on their land defines who they are, and as expected, the use of land is as diverse as Vanuatu’s multiple islands and cultures. Because the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu states that the “rules of custom shall form the basis of ownership and use of land1,” no government policy will ever be able to mandate a universal land use practice. Rather this land use planning policy, reflects Vanuatu’s multifaceted cultural heritage and is intended to enable its people to make good and sustainable decisions on how land is used.The policy aims to guide land use planning by setting priorities and outlining legislative and institutional settings to enable land use planning that encourages the best current use of our land resources and at the same time allowing for future generations equitably benefit from the same resources. This Policy can be regarded as a framework for land use planning, which is clearly emerging as a critical tool in our country’s development. This land use planning policy covers land use planning from rural communities through to our urban centres with the intention of achieving benefits for all of the people of Vanuatu both now and into the future.
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The coastal zone is one of Vanuatu’s greatest assets. Its unique values and resources are vital to the Ni- Vanuatu way of life, subsequently, the capacity to ensure ecologically sustainable use and development of the coastal zone is imperative for all the Ni-Vanuatu people, both now and into the future. The National Integrated Coastal Management Framework (NICMF) for Vanuatu has been developed to assist responsible government agencies and concerned stakeholders to cooperate, collaborate and integrate their activities into a coordinated response to mitigate and reduce impacts affecting Vanuatu’s coastal ecosystems and resources.
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Vanuatu ranks as the world’s most vulnerable country due to its high exposure to natural disasters, scattered island geography, narrow economic base, inadequate communication and transportation networks, and limited capacity to cope with disasters including those caused or exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Annually Vanuatu is impacted by a number of cyclones, which are expected to become more intense under current climatic projections, with coastal communities and ecosystems being most vulnerable and impacted by these events. Vanuatu will be heavily impacted by climate change with future scenarios projecting increased temperatures, sea-level rise, and increased severity of cyclones, increased ocean temperatures and ocean acidification. In addition, an increased likelihood of an increase in the frequency of El Niño events will present its own long-term seasonal challenges. These challenges, combined with rapid population growth spread over 80 islands, an agricultural and coastal-based economy facing acute medium-term challenges and inadequate delivery of government services, especially in remote areas will continue to limit the potential for long-term sustainable development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
The Government of Vanuatu has been proactive in global and regional dialogues on climate change and finalised its National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) in 2007. The project will explicitly address three of eleven priorities identified in the NAPA including:
1) community-based marine resource management,
2) integrated coastal zone management, and
3) mainstreaming climate change into policy and national planning processes.
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This documet contains the following VCAP Annex:
Annex 3: Summary of Inception Workshop, notes and agendaAnnex 4: Consultation meetings for V-CAP PPGAnnex 5: Process for Pilot site selectionAnnex 8: Integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion DimensionsAnnex 10: Stakeholder engagement planAnnex 12: Terms of References for Project Governance, Management Arrangements, and Key Project StaffAnnex 13: Capacity Development StrategyAnnex 14: Communications Strategy
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Leading scientists indicate that the global is changing. As a result extreme weather is increasing, average temperature is rising, patterns of dry and wet periods are shifting, and sea levels are rising. These effects impact on the vulnerability of people. Extreme weather: Climate change is accompanied by an increase in extreme weather events. The trend can already be witnessed: frequency, intensity and unpredictability of extreme weather is increasing.
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This Urban Risk Management Strategy (the URMS or the Strategy) provides a response to the hazards, risks and urban growth trends identified for Vanuatu’s two urban areas, the greater Port Vila Urban Area and Luganville. It is Stage 3 of the Risk Mapping and Planning for Urban Preparedness Project (the Project) being undertaken by the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) as part of the broader Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction Project. It also responds to the maping and assessment of earthquake, wind, river flood, coastal inundation and tsunami hazards and risks undertaken during Stage 2 of the Project. Moreover, it provides risk informed approaches to strengthen the formal physical planning framework and the informal (socio-political) system by incorporating risk information and risk reduction considerations into processes, policies and community activities.
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This report explores the opportunities that recognising blue carbon could bring to Vanuatu. Commissioned by the Government of Vanuatu from the Commonwealth Secretariat, it sets out the opportunities, supportive arguments, and issues and potential barriers around incorporating blue carbon as part of their overall climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy. While a number of blue carbon projects elsewhere are focused primarily (or soley) on monetising the financial value of carbon through carbon credit schemes or similar, the Commonwealth Secretariat believes this to be an inherently risky strategy. Carbon prices may vary or crash, and such an approach is often at odds with cultural and societal values, especially in the Pacific region.This report takes a broader look at the full range of values blue carbon can hold for Vanuatu, describing the values of blue carbon habitats, what is already known about such habitats in Vanuatu, and how existing projects and initiatives can help form a useful basis from which to proceed. As such it may act as a blueprint for studies elsewhere in the Pacific and more widely, though the exact mix of recommendations made here are specific to Vanuatu. This is due to the relatively small area of blue carbon habitats present, but also the strong and intimate links through customary stewardship between local communities and the health and wellbeing of their surrounding environment.The report makes 12 major recommendations stemming from this analysis and the overall conclusion of the net positive effect that would be achieved from implementing a blue carbon initiative in a stepwise approach, in isolation, or with other countries in the region.
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“Adaptation to Climate Change in the Coastal Zone in Vanuatu” or the Vanuatu Coastal Adaptation Project (VCAP), will provide a valuable opportunity to the Vanuatu government to increase the resilience of its communities to future climate change induced risks such as declining coastal and marine resources and intensifying climate related hazards. The overall objective of VCAP is to improve the resilience of the coastal zone and its communities to the impacts of climate change in order to sustain livelihoods, food production and preserve and improve the quality of life in targeted vulnerable areas.
VCAP will focus on community level adaptation to climate change and will address major environmental and associated socio-economic problems facing coastal communities impacted by climate change such as land degradation, biodiversity loss, and reef destruction, all of which severely undermine prospects for sustainable development and threaten the food security of coastal communities. The project will also build on and enhance CC adaptation initiatives through climate-proofing of infrastructure as needed.
VCAP will also support information and early warning systems on coastal hazards to address the current lack of systematic analysis and prediction of climate-related events. Thus coastal communities will be less vulnerable to the effects of climate change with improved information management and data dissemination systems in place.
This bi-monthly progress report details the various activities conducted from March to April of 2015. This is the first of an ongoing series of VCAP bimonthly reports. The following sections provide detail on initial activies conducted through VCAP after TC Pam and in preparation for the inception phase of project implementation.
This Report features the following Contents:
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Ol aelan blong Vanuatu oli save experiensem ol taem we i drae from El Niño moa wetwet tumas from La Niña. Ol taem olsem, wetem ol kaen weta olsem saeklon i save spoilem wota, kakai, infrastrakja (olsem haos mo rod), laef mo helt blong ol man. Be gudfala infomesen, woning wetem klaemet fokast i save helpem yumi blong save mo mekem ol man i redi from ol had taem we oli stap kam yet.
Klaod Nasara cartoon wetem tul kit hemi save mekem ol man i save moa wanem ol impact we El Niño mo La Niña i save mekem. Tul kit ia tu hemi save helpem ol man long ol komuniti, skul, ol ofis blong kavman mo ol bisnis long Vanuatu blong save tokbaot El Niño mo La Niña mo oli save se infomesen ia ofis save karem long office blong Vanuatu Meteorology mo Geo-hazard (VMGD). Hemia blong mekem se komuniti i save wok tugeta wetem difren ofis blong redi from El Niño mo La Niña. Taem yumi save wei blong stap wetem tufala event ia, i mekem yumi redi from klaemet jens.
Klaod Nasara consists of:
KLAOD NASARA TUL KIT:
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The topographic and bathymetric LiDAR survey for Vanuatu was developed by the PACCSAP program in collaboration with the NAB. It included high priority areas of Efate, Malekula and Espiritu Santo, as well as some of the smaller islands nearby. Airborne surveys flown between September and November 2012 captured the data for Efate and Malekula Islands. The survey for Espiritu Santo, which was initially delayed due to poor weather conditions, was completed in May 2013.
The link below will provide you with access to high resolution LiDAR imagery. The Vanuatu Globe was previously also accessible via the 2D Google Maps Engine, however Google has now discontinued this service.
For more information on accessing the LiDAR data, please contact Brian Phillips at the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department, piccap@vanuatu.com.vu.
Vanuatu Globe | 3D Google Earth
To access the Vanuatu Globe in Google Earth (3D) you will need to have the latest version of Google Earth (Free) installed. Follow the below instructions to access the Vanuatu Globe in Google Earth:
1. Download and install the latest free version of Google Earth application
2. Download the Vanuatu Globe kml file by clicking here. The file is attached on this page which can be downloaded directly. If you cannot access this file, email riaken@meteo.gov.vu
3. Save the Vanuatu Globe kml to your desktop
4. Double click on the Vanuatu Globe KML to open it
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The first of the overall MESCAL project’s four outcomes is to produce national baseline information about climate change scenarios, use and values of mangroves and associated ecosystem.
This review aims to identify recent climate change projections (particularly sea level) and assess their likely impacts on mangroves and associated ecosystems and community livelihoods for the five MESCAL pilot countries.
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Torba is the most northern and isolated province in Vanuatu. The province has an estimated population of 9,359 people and a land-area of 882 km². Its capital is Sola on the island of Vanua Lava. There are two groups of islands in Torba Province, which are the Banks Group and Torres Groups.
Torba is the perhaps the least developed province in Vanuatu. Transport is irregular and difficult. Communication is challenging. Infrastructure is limited on most islands with a few roads and vehicles present on Vanua Lava, Gaua & Mota Lava. Air Vanuatu provides regular service to Vanua Lava, Mota Lava, Gaua & Loh Island in the Torres Group. Small “banana boats” are relied upon heavily, despite frequent rough seas, to access remaining communities. The difficulty and infrequent level of transport in Torba Province has resulted in a much higher pricing for locals when they purchase commonly used goods and supplies such as fuel and tinned foods.
A missionary doctor, who is also a pilot, lives on the island of Gaua and makes routine visits to the islands in the Banks and Torres groups and transports patients to health facilities in Luganville, Santo and Port Vila, Efate as necessary. Additional landing strips for his small plane have been created on some additional islands as well in Torba Province as well but these are not serviced by Air Vanuatu.
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Tafea is the most southerly province in Vanuatu, consisting of 5 islands, some of which are among the most isolated in Vanuatu. Each island in the province has a diverse array of geographic features and natural resources.
The province has an estimated population of 32,540 people and an area of 1,628 km². The most populated island is Tanna, although its land mass is smaller than that of Erromango.Tanna contains over 80 percent of the Tafea’s population. The provincial capital Isangel is located here along with Tafea’s only municipality and its most developed commercial centre,Lenakel. An active volcano called Mt. Yassur attracts a large quantity of tourists to the island. A majority of the soil quality on Tanna is regarded as very rich and prime for agricultural activity.
The three largest islands in Tafea Province are Melanesian, but the smaller two, Aniwa and Futuna, have a distinct Polynesian influence due to early settlers and missionaries from Samoa. Futuna isrich in marine resources, although its rugged terrain composed of sheer cliffs and steep hillsides along with its strong coastal seas provide many challenges to locals.
Aniwa Island is the only coral island in Tafea, while the other four islands are volcanic and reach much higher elevations. Of the outer islands, it has the closest access to Tanna island and provincial services. Water security is a major concern on the island, although Aniwa is rich in its coastal fisheries, orange plantations and has many sandalwood trees.
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Shefa Province is one of the six provinces of Vanuatu, located in the lower centre of the country and it includes the islands of Epi, Efate and the Shepherds Group. It has a total population of 79,212people based on latest estimate by Vanuatu Statistics Office and an area of 1,455 km². Its capital is Port Vila, which is also the capital of the nation.
Epi Island is located in the northeast corner of the province. The Epi Sub-District Office, an integral part of the Shefa Provincial Government Council is located at Rovo Bay, in the Vermali Area Council.
At the time of the 2009 Census, the total population of Epi Island was 5,647 people, which includes the population of offshore Lamen Island. There are four Area Councils on Epi: Vermaul, Vermali, Varsu and Yarsu, collectively containing over 25 villages.
Epi receives an abundance of precipitation, ranging from 2.9m annually in the centre of the island to 2.2m annually on the northwest coast. The temperature on the island varies during hot and cool seasons, but averages approximately 24.9°C at the coast and is a few degrees cooler in the centre of the island.
Epi is seasonal and is warmer from November until April. Like the rest of Vanuatu, the island’s weather is strongly influenced by the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycles. During the El Nino (warm phase) the country is subject to long dry spells. During the La Nina (cool phase) Vanuatu has prolonged wet conditions. Climate change predictions suggest that the intensification of the ENSO cycle will result in more intense wet and dry seasons. While the island has been affected by cyclones in the past, cyclones rarely hit the island. The last cyclone in Epi was in 1994. Cyclone frequency is not expected to increase with climate change.
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As of the 2009 Census, the total population on the island of Santo was 39,606 people. Santo is the second highest populated island in Vanuatu, second only to Efate. Luganville, with a population of 13,167 is the second largest town in Vanuatu and is located on the southern coast of the island, approximately a 1.5 hour drive from the project site. According to the 2009 Census, the annual population growth rate for Santo is 2.4%.
As the largest island in Vanuatu, Santo has an extensive mountain range along its southern & western coasts with many large rivers and creeks extending into the uplands. The eastern coast is relatively flat in comparison and is primarily used for agricultural purposes. A large natural harbor is present in the north called Big Bay, where a significant portion of the island’s population islocated. The interior of the island is inaccessible and populated sparsely by tribes of Ni-Vanuatu living traditional subsistence agrarian lifestyles, many of whom do not speak Bislama or wear Western clothing. A majority of the offshore islands in Sanma Province are located off of the southeast corner of Santo.
There is substantial road access throughout the vast island of Santo, although there are many areas where road access is poor or there is no road access whatsoever and where communities rely only on footpaths or boats for transportation. The road from Luganville to Port Olry, which spans the eastern coast of Santo, is in excellent condition with tar-sealed bitumen and drainage provided through funding from the US government through the Millenium Challenge Corporation and was recently completed in 2011. The wide roads in the main town of Luganville are in good condition despite the need for minor repairs in certain areas and were originally built by the American armed forces during World War II when Santo served as a base for American troops.
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Malampa is one of the six provinces of Vanuatu, located in the centre of the country and consisting of three main islands namely Malekula, Ambrym and Paama. It also includes a number of smaller offshore islands – the small islands of Uripiv, Norsup, Rano, Wala, Atchin and Vao off the coast of Malekula and the volcanic island of Lopevi near Paama (currently uninhabited). Also included are the Maskelynne Islands and other small islands suck as Akam and Avock along the south coast of Malekula. The total population of Malampa Province is 36,722 (2009 census) people and it contains an area of 2,779 km².
Malekula is the most populated and developed island in the province and houses the provincial capital named Lakatoro. Malekula receives an abundance of precipitation. The temperature on the island varies during the hot and cold seasons, but averages approximately 24.9°C at the coast and is a few degrees cooler in the centre of the island. Weather in Malekula is seasonal, and warmer from November until April and cooler and dryer period typically from May to October. Like the rest of Vanuatu, the island’s weather is strongly influenced by the El Nino Southern Oscillation cycles. During the El Nino (warm phase) the country is subject to long dry spells. During the La Nina (cool phase) Vanuatu has prolonged wet conditions.
Malekula is located on active geological faults. The southeastern side of the island experienced major earthquakes as recently as the 1990s and the land, e.g. Akam Island, was reported to have subsided by up to a depth of 1 meter. There are three active volcanoes located within Malampa Province: twin peaks on Ambrym Island and one located on Lopevi Island. The entire province is at a severe risk of tsunamis and earthquakes.
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Penama Province, Vanuatu is comprised of the three islands of Pentecost, Ambae and Maewo. It has a total population of 30,819 people based on the latest Census by the Vanuatu Statistics Office and a total land mass surface area of 1,193 km². The provincial capital is located on the island of Ambae at Seratamata.
Pentecost Island is the largest and most populated island in Penama Province with an area of 490 km² and a total population of 16,843 people according to the 2009 Census with an annual population growth rate of 1.8%. The island stretches north to south a distance of around 60 kilometres with an average width of less than 10 kilometres. There are four Area Councils on Pentecost: (from North to South) North Pentecost, Central Pentecost 1 (CP1), Central Pentecost 2 (CP2) and South Pentecost, which collectively contain over 50 villages with populations exceeding 100 people. The VSO recorded over 250 communities in total living in Pentecost, with populations ranging from a single household up to 307 villagers.
Underneath the four Area Councils on Pentecost, there are 23 Ward Councils, which are collections of “nakamals” or chiefly associations. There are 190 “nakamals” on Pentecost as reported by the Penama Provincial Government Council.
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The Invasive Species Flipchart is designed to support community groups working to address the issue of invasive species in Vanuatu. These groups can include farmers, NGOs and other agencies. Government ministries, high schools, universities and colleges may also find the chart useful.
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This book is about how you can use trees and gardens together to reclaim land that has been overrun by Big Leaf Rope. This approach has many benefits. Most importantly, it will allow you to make use of otherwise wasted land, and turn it into a fertile and productive garden. Techniques outlined in this book will allow for an increased crop yield and overall profit, helping to better support you and your family. It will help to increase the variety of crops you can grow, and provide further opportunities down the road selling timber from trees. Equally, trees and wildlife that are often supressed by Big Leaf Rope will also have a chance to grow back again, helping to restore Vanuatu’s rich biodiversity. Using this technique, ongoing efforts to maintain your plot and keep it free from Big Leaf Rope will decrease, making it easier to keep your garden and surrounding environment healthy and productive. We believe that by following the approach described here, you will see benefits for your community, your environment, and even to your income. This step by step guide aims to help you in setting up your own ‘agroforestry garden’ either on your own, or as a community.
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Suva, Fiji – A major new report, Reviving Melanesia’s Ocean Economy: The Case for Action, launched today, has revealed that the ocean is a much larger part of Melanesia’s economy and future prosperity than previously understood.
Melanesia is a large sub-region in the Pacific that extends from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region includes Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
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The Invasive Species Media Guide targets journalists, reporters, photographers, environmental writers and other people working within, or having an interest in, media and communication roles in Vanuatu. It aims to heighten awareness within the media and communications sector about the issue of invasive species in Vanuatu.
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