Vanuatu NAB Search
The Pacific island region is highly prone to natural disasters,especially cyclones, droughts and volcanic eruptions. Theseimpose a heavy economic toll, diverting resources away fromall forms of development. In a region so dependent onagriculture as the Pacific Islands, reducing exposure to andmitigating against the effects of natural disasters offersimmediate and substantial benefits to the sustainabledevelopment of the region.This report provides a detailed account of the interrelationshipsbetween disasters and agricultural systems infour Pacific island countries: Fiji, Samoa< Tuvalu andVanuatu. The authors note that traditional agriculturalsystems provided a high degree of food security. Althoughthey have significantly changed over recent decades, manycomponents of these systems remain in place, to varyingdegrees around the region. This continues to be an importantmitigating force against the impact of disasters, as recentevents in Samoa and Vanuatu have shown. The report arguesthat the impact of natural disasters on agriculture can beconsiderably reduced, first by better environmentalmanagement and, second, by finding ways to use traditionalfarming methods and adapt them to new uses, rather than thewhole scale change to farming methods that has often beenattempted in recent decades.This report is one in the series of reports commissioned bythe South Pacific Disaster Reduction Programme. Thepurpose behind these reports has been to increase awarenessof the importance of disaster reduction for sustainabledevelopment in the Pacific region, and to demonstrate thatthere are practical ways to reduce the exposure of islandeconomies and communities to natural hazards. The 1990swere designated by the United Nations General Assembly to
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Vanuatu is expected to incur, on average, 48 millionUSD per year in losses due to earthquakes and tropicalcyclones. In the next 50 years, Vanuatu has a 50% chanceof experiencing a loss exceeding 330 million USD andcasualties larger than 725 people, and a 10% chanceof experiencing a loss exceeding 540 million USD andcasualties larger than 2,150 people.
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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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This Newsletter provides a brief overview of the activities undertaken in the country by Vanuatu Red Cross and partners during the month of October. It features the following content:
1. Tropical Cyclone Pam Recovery2. Supporting Community Planning - Phase 3 (SCP3)3. Together Becoming Resilient - Phase 5 (TBR5)4. Youth Empowering Vulnerable Communities5. FINPAC6. First Aid7. Organisational Development8. Meet the VRCS Finance & HR Team9. October News & Events
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The environment of Vanuatu including its land based resources are extremely vulnerable to climate-related hazards, such as cyclones strong wind gusts, droughts, heats spells, floods and sea level rise/storm surges. Most of these hazards are precipitated by natural weather phenomena and therefore will be exacerbated by the current and future impacts of climate change. This vulnerability is a threat not only to the livelihoods of the people of Vanuatu but also to a healthy and prosperous nation. This national climate change adaptation strategy (NCCAS) lays out an approach to identify and implement efficient and effective activities to manage the existing and anticipated consequences of climate change for the land-based resources sectors in Vanuatu, namely forestry, agriculture, water, livestock, and biodiversity/ natural ecosystems. These sectors play dominant and essential roles in the economy of Vanuatu and contribute to livelihoods and the general well-being of people and the country as a whole.
The NCCAS is aligned with and builds on existing strategies, policies and action plans. For example, it builds on Vanuatu’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), the Priorities and Action Agenda (PAA) or the Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Management National Action Plan (NAP) and sector specific documents like the National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy or the National Water Strategy.It is not just a strategy for government, but actively involves civil society including churches, youth organizations and other NGOs working in the land based resources sector in an active process to cope with climate change in a coherent and strategic manner. For each sector it describes adaptation strategies that are usable, practical and implementable.
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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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These are Vulnerability Assessments documents consisting of an Assessment Report that identifies the Project sites' community needs (like food, water, etc) and reccomendations before the Project Implementaion phase as well as the Climate Change Adaptation Priority Rankings that ranks communities in accordance to priority.
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These are Vulnerability Assessments documents consisting of an Assessment Report that identifies the Project sites' community needs (like food, water, etc) and reccomendations before the Project Implementaion phase as well as the Climate Change Adaptation Priority Rankings that ranks communities in accordance to priority.
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These are Vulnerability Assessments documents consisting of an Assessment Report that identifies the Project sites' community needs (like food, water, etc) and reccomendations before the Project Implementaion phase as well as the Climate Change Adaptation Priority Rankings that ranks communities in accordance to priority.
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Pamphlet describing nature, origin & warning categories of tropic cyclones
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Pamphlet on causes of earthquakes, impacts & preparedness. Separate pamphlets in English, French and Bislama.
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Pamphlet on volcanoes, volcanic hazards & actions to take during ashfalls. Separate pamphlets in English, French and Bislama.
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First state-of-the-art quantitative and probabilistic assessment of major perils in the Pacific
• Covering entire landmass of 15 island countries • Regional exposure database; – one of the largest and most comprehensive globally• Analysis of fiscal risk exposure based on country risk profiles• Disaster risk financing solutions• Open access to risk information
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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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Vanuatu is one of the most vulnerable countries to natural hazards on the planet, (World Bank, 2011). More than three quarters of the population are at risk from not just one, but multiple disaster events, including: tsunamis, volcano eruptions, flooding, cyclones and many more. According to the Pacific Catastrophic Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI), undertaken by SPC and World Bank in 2010, Vanuatu can lose up to VT4 Billion in one year due to cyclone and earthquakes. Against this backdrop, Disaster risk management has become a cross-cutting issue that affects all sectors of Vanuatu and all development priorities and programs. Disaster risk management and climate change have been included into the current Priorities for Action Agenda 2011-2016. In September 2012, Vanuatu launched the National Advisory Board on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (NAB) to better manage and coordinate Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction programs in Vanuatu and facilitate mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction into sectoral policies and planning. The resources provided by this project will strengthen the NAB and assist the Government to conduct thorough hazard and risk assessment in the urban areas and use the data to inform national land use planning policies including the design of a Tsunami warning system for both urban areas.
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The implementation of VCAP this quarter began at Epi sites with the upland and fisheries output activities. The upland team had established one permanent nursery where 2,000 plus fruits and timber trees seedlings are raised for distributing to all farmers in the project sites for reforestation upland at the water catchment areas. The team has also established 3 multi-cropping plots for introducing resilience crops to the farmers and planted vetiver grasses, natangura seedlings, pandanus along the eroded coastlines for reducing the activities for coastal erosions.
Fisheries team has deployed some FADs (Fish Aggregated Devices) at Epi as well for improving the marine resources at the reefs. The consultations with the communities and their VDCs (Village Development Committees) have educated the people to preserve their marine resources by introducing preservation areas along the coasts. The people have learned to improved their lively hoods by following these activities carried out by the fisheries and upland teams.
The project will further the implementation of various activities at Pentecost sites, Tafea outer islands sites as part of the recovery program of cyclone Pam which was mandated by the Government. Project Coordinators will further their various activities to other project sites such as South malekula, South Santo and Torres islands in the coming quarters. These output activities include the upgrade of access roads to the market, health and educations facilities.
Furthermore, the project will also assist the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazard Department(VMGD) for upgrading the Automatic Weather Stations at the 6 Provinces of the Country including the Integrated Weather Forecasting System at VMGD. These systems will provide the automatic early warning system throughout the Country where dissemination of weather information will reach the people in the communities in good times.
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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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“Adaptation to Climate Change in the Coastal Zone in Vanuatu” or the Vanuatu Coastal Adaptation Project (VCAP), has made steady progress lately towards enabling the Vanuatu government to increase the resilience of targeted communities to future climate change induced risks such as declining coastal and marine resources and intensifying climate related hazards.
As VCAP begins to address community level adaptation to climate change, the Vanuatu government has taken its first steps to engage community level representatives. Communities were consulted in the selection process for site based coordinators in Tafea, Shefa and Penama provinces. Hiring processes for the Project Implementation Unit in Port Vila continue to take place as well.
VCAP was able to facilitate several days of consultations and planning activities with community, Area Council, provincial and national level stakeholders during VCAP Inception Week. The final authority for VCAP is the Project Board, which had its first sitting during this reporting period. The results from this Project Board meeting will drive VCAP forward throughout the remainder of 2015.
This bi-monthly progress report details the various activities conducted from May to mid-July of 2015. This is the second of an ongoing series of VCAP bimonthly reports.
This Report features the following Contents:
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The “Adaptation to Climate Change in the Coastal Zone in Vanuatu” or the Vanuatu Coastal Adaptation Project (VCAP) has recently recruited several key staff members within its Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and has made steady progress in delivering its Annual Work Plan for 2015 by engaging targeted coastal communities in a series of vulnerability assessments and climate change adaptation planning sessions.
As VCAP will support integrated community based approaches for building climate resilience, the PIU has worked closely with the Department of Local Authorities (DLA) and other various partners to develop a standard approach to performing vulnerability assessments and facilitating community-based climate adaptation plans. This “bottom-up” planning process will be complimented by various technical specialists and national level VCAP stakeholders who will further refine and implement components from these community plans in coming months.
Finally, this reporting period culminated in the VCAP Project Board Meeting, where senior authorities from the Vanuatu government and UNDP made important decisions affecting future project delivery and approved the Annual Work Plan and Budget for 2016.
This progress report details the various activities conducted from July through December of 2015. This is the third VCAP progress report produced to date.
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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Below is the text as contained in the Vanuatu Daily Post News article attached.
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A New National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) building for the people of Torba Province was officially opened last Friday.
Minister of Climate Change, Ham Lini, led a delegation to Torba on Friday to open the building.
The new building accommodates three offices, one server room, one conference room, one storage room, reception space, toilet and bathroom.
The total cost of this new facility is Vt25 million and was funded by the European Union through the assistance of the World Bank. The main aim of this project is to increase the resilience of communities in the country.
Torba is a strategic site for this project because they have an active volcano which makes them susceptible and vulnerable to Natural Hazards.
A similar building was built on the island of Tanna and could be the first disaster buildings established outside from Luganville and Port Vila to provide timely information and warnings to the people during disaster periods.
Core task Team leader for the Project, Tevi Obed, said they are very happy to assist the Vanuatu Government on the project because it is part of the country’s national priorities.
“They want to decentralize their services to the provinces so that the people can have easy access to disaster management services to help them in their preparedness for natural disasters”.
Mr. Obed said it is a good project for the people of Torba.
The Meteorology Department has forecasted that the country is likely to experience 2 to 3 cyclones this cyclone season and thus Mr. Obed encouraged the people of Torba Province to make good use of the new facility by taking heed of the information, advisories and warnings provided by this office in relation to cyclones as well as other disasters.
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Below is the text as contained in the Vanuatu Daily Post News article attached.
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President for Torba Province, Erick Shedrack says the province recognizes and acknowledges every assistance towards the construction and establishment of the new National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in Torba.
Mr. Shedrack made the remarks during the opening of the new disaster building last Friday.
The Torba Provincial Government President thanked the European Union, World Bank, Vanuatu Government, Contractor (Loli Construction) and the other stakeholders for making this project become a reality.
He said everyone cannot deny the fact that disaster has no respect for anyone.
Shedrack urged the minister to make sure the new building has all the facilities with necessary equipment and human resources required to provide essential service as intended to the people of Torba.
He said the Torba islanders will now no longer rely on the main office in Port Vila because they have a facility that will respond faster to the demands of the people of the province.
The new facility will service the people of Torba Province from Mere lava in the Banks group to Hiu in Torres Islands.
The Loli Construction Company completed the building within three months but the initial opening took more time before it was opened last week.
The building has two new water tanks, which are already providing rain water to the government workers serving at the Torba Provincial Headquarter on Sola.
Core Task Team leader for the Project, Tevi Obed says every three years the World Bank avails funds for the Vanuatu Government and Vanuatu gets around Vt3 billion.
This particular project was funded under a grant by the European Union, through the World Bank.
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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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