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The ‘protection of low-lying coastal settlement’ scenario targets improving the understanding of the benefits of adaptation toward building preparedness and reducing the impacts of severe events and climate change, as well as determining the cost effectiveness of adaptation options. These are key requirements identified within the Vanuatu National Adaptation Programme for Action (NAPA).
This is the Project Profile form.
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Below is an extract of the Minister's Forward from the MCCA 2016 Annual Report:
It is with pleasure that I hereby submit to Parliament the 2016 Annual Report of the Ministry of Climate Change Adaptation (MCCA), Meteorology & Geo-Hazards, Energy, Environment and National Disaster Management Office.It is said that if “you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” Continuous improvement is only possible if you review your old planning and implementation to ensure following initiatives are underpinned by sound problem solving and practical, strategic targets. Therefore, the 2016 Annual Report for the Ministry of Climate Change is an important document in the planning process, allowing our Ministry to assess what has been done well and what activities remain to be implemented or strengthened in the coming year.
In 2016 the nation of Vanuatu continued to resolve issues caused by 2015 Cyclone Pam followed in 2016 by a strong El Nino and the threat of a La Nina event. Innovative responses to “Build Back Better and Stronger” were supported by our development partners, the private sector and Non Government Organisations both regionally and internationally. These efforts will continue into 2017.At this point, I would like to recognise the contribution of our dedicated, professional team. The Ministry is fortunate to have well-educated technical and management officers delivering the Ministry’s program and projects often in very difficult and dangerous conditions, in isolated rural locations.
The closing function for the Ministry proved the opportunity to publicly recognise with Vanuatu Medals the services of long serving staff retiring after three decades of service. I wish to take the opportunity to name these officers - Leo Moli, Mercy Nalawas, Peter Feke, Paul Manamena and Philip Namu.
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Vanuatu 2030 is our National Sustainable Development Plan for the period 2016 to 2030, and serves as the country's highest level policy framework. It is founded on our culture, traditional knowledge and Christian principles, and builds on our development journey since Independence in 1980. We have already achieved a great deal,as we have encountered many difficulties and setbacks, some from natural disasters. Our most recent national plan, the Prioritiesand Action Agenda 2006-2015 sought to deliver a just, educated, healthy and wealthy Vanuatu. It was the first concerted attempt to link policy and planning to the limited resources of government. As we look ahead to the next 15 years, we now seek to further extend the linkages between resources, policy and planning to the people and place they exist to serve. In effect our development journey remains on the same course, but we are upgrading the vehicle to get us there in a more holistic and inclusive way
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The Climate Council is an independent, crowd-funded organisation providing quality information on climate change to the Australian public. This factsheet contains useful information about the influence of climate change on tropical cyclones, coastal flooding, storm surges, etc.
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There are about 30 species of mangroves in Solomon Islands, representing 40% of the world's mangrove species. They can be found on most islands ans it is estimated that mangroves here cover an area of about 50 000 hectares.
Mangroves are important resources for livelihoodof rural coastal communities. However there ias not an endleess supply.
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Climate change, resulting from both natural and anthropogenic factors, is expected to affect virtually every aspect of marine ecosystem structure and function from community composition and biogeochemical cycling, to the prevalence of diseases. Climate can affect all life-history stages through direct and indirect processes and the possible effects of climate change for marine populations include changes in population dynamics (body size, reproduction), community composition and geographical distributions. Climate change can be expected to affect populations, habitats, and ecosystems differently depending on their underlying characteristics (ICES 2011a, b). Although there are many uncertainties about the rates and spatial structure of future climate change, the probable and potential changes need to be considered in ecosystem management planning.
Ecosystems are complex, dynamic networks of interacting abiotic and biotic components, with a certain intrinsic capacity to adapt to perturbations such as climate change. Within ecosystems, it is individual organisms that perceive and respond to perturbations either directly through physical responses to abiotic factors or indirectly through interaction mechanisms such as predation and competition. When large numbers of individuals are affected, the response reverberates through higher levels of organization.
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Set of 12 coloured fact sheets in English produced by the Pacific Centre for Environment & Sustainable Development (PACE-SD)
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Climate change is impacting on food security and biosecurity in the Pacific region by degradation offood production areas (sea level rise, salinity, drought), devastation caused by extreme weatherevents (cyclones, flooding) and impacts on recovery time such as replacement of lost cropgermplasm and the need to import food substitutes. The aim of this project was to identify the keyimpacts of climate change on the unique cropping systems in four small Pacific nations (Tonga,Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tuvalu). Information was collected by the development of a questionnairewhich was completed by Senior Agricultural Administrators, Biosecurity/Quarantine scientists,agricultural research and extension officers and farmers. Personal interviews, field trips andinformation sessions were also held in each country.
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Grafting hemi name we ol farmer oli usum blo maretemem ol trees. Yu save mekem grafting sapos trees oli kam out lo same family group trees. Exampol, yu save graftem ol aranis, pamplemus, mo lemon. Climate change I mekem se plante hud blong yumi oli stap kasem ol niufala sik mo oli stap ded. Olsem grafting I save helpem yu blong maretem ol strong hud blong oli nomo ded.
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Climate jenj I stap afektem Vanuatu bigwan naoia. Ol jenj long ren mo tempaja I save spoilem agrikalja. Climate change tu I stap bringim ol strongfala win olsem tropical cyclone we I stap daonem plante crops blong yumi.
Banana hemi wan crop long Vanuatu we hemi isi blong cyclone I daonem. Afta long cyclone samfala taem I had blong faenem planting material blong yu save planem bak plantesen blong yu.
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Tri o wud hemi wan veri impoten risoslong yumi. Long ol tri, yumi save mekemfulap samting long hem we yumi usumlong laef blong yumi everi dei. Plentiman i depend long ol forest, bus mo ol tri.Bus o fores i givim faea wud, frut,meresin, pos blong fanis mo haos,furniture, wud blong carving, handleblong ol tul, mo planti moa samting. Tri owud tu hemi help blong reducem carbondioxide long air we I stap raon long wol.Ol tri oli save holem taet graon tu longtaem blong flooding mo narafala kaenclimate change.
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The Pacific Islands region is experiencing climate change. Key indicators of the changingclimate include rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, rising air and sea temperatures,rising sea levels and upper-ocean heat content, changing ocean chemistry and increasingocean acidity, changing rainfall patterns, decreasing base flow in streams, changingwind and wave patterns, changing extremes, and changing habitats and species distributions.Currently, the most vulnerable areas include low islands (atoll islands and otherislands that rise only a few feet above present sea level), nearshore and coastal areas,and coral reefs. High-elevation (particularly alpine and subalpine) ecosystems are alsovulnerable. The climatic changes are affecting every aspect of life. Freshwater suppliesfor natural systems, as well as communities and businesses, are at risk. Food security isthreatened through impacts on both agriculture and fisheries. The built environment isalso at risk from coastal flooding and erosion as sea levels incrementally increase. Lossof habitat for endangered species such as monk seals, sea turtles, and Laysan ducks isexpected along with increased coral bleaching episodes, expansion of avian malaria tohigher elevations, and changes in the distribution and survival of the areas’ marine biodiversity.Over the coming decades, impacts are expected to become more widespreadand more severe.
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The assessment of available remote sensing data indicates, that there is almost no potential foractivities reducing deforestation within the CCA/REDD site. Reducing forest degradation byeliminating invasive weeds might show some potential for emission reductions and removals, butrequires further research to assess the management options and their carbon dynamics.
The community areas of Penaoru and Petawata show a potential of 664 ha for enhancing forestcarbon stocks activities. However, 65% of the potential is located outside the CCA/REDD site inareas around the villages. Only one third of the potential (219 ha) relates to areas larger than 1ha.Given the spatial distribution of potential sites, the original concept of a combined CCA-REDD sitehas to be modified. The CCA area can be maintained as established, but its management plan shouldallow for A/R activities considering that some Sandalwood stands have already been establishedinside. In case the REDD+ activities will only encompass A/R activities, the boundaries of theREDD+ sites will become obsolete and can be replaced by the community boundaries. Within thisscenario, Penaoru, Petawata and other communities will register their A/R activities and sites in a(sub)national registry applying an approved protocol. The registry will operate a spatial databaseof all EFCS activities, and measure, report, and verify their GHG removals. In its mature state, theregistry will account for all eligible REDD+ activities across islands and community territories.Early movers willing to participate in piloting REDD+ on Santo Island would have to register theiractivities based on consolidated community territories.
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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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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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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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