Adaptation

The Pacific Risk Resilience programme (PRRP) will focus on strengthening governance mechanisms for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) at the sub-national and local levels.  The goal of the programme is: to strengthen the resilience of Pacific island communities to disasters and climate change related risk.  

Pacific Risk Resilience Programme is design to supporting and partnership with existing stakeholder’s engagements / activities with a focus on strengthening governance mechanism for Disaster Risk Management and Climate change adaptation at all levels of decision making.

The Vanuatu Carbon Sydicate is the interim body seeking NAB endorsement. It comprises Samson Busai, Ephraim Songi and other, with funding being arranged by Jim Batty of Summit Estate Limited. 

Results are expected in the following areas:

R1 - Effective preparedness, response and recovery: responds to the need for national and regional response plans, end-to-end Early Warning Systems (EWS), emergency and evacuation centres, access to safe drinking water to mitigate against drought.

R2 - Strengthened institutional arrangements for DRM and CCA: responds to the need for Joint National Action Plans (JNAPs) as well as to the integration of DRM and CCA into national and sector strategies, planning and budgetary processes.

R3 - Improved knowledge, information, public awareness, training and education: the emphasis is on building awareness of risks, risk exposure through the provision of hazard and risk information through regional and local databases, strengthening human and technical capacity in a range of priority areas, production of knowledge products and related awareness.

R4 - Improved understanding of natural hazards and the reduction of underlying risks: addresses gaps in baseline scientific, technical, social and economic understanding of hazard impact and addresses underlying risks created by changing social, economic, environmental conditions and resources.

R5 - Enhanced partnerships in DRM and Climate Change: responds to the need for an integrated regional strategy for DRM and Climate Change, strengthening of the Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance, enhanced hazard risk management, enhances information management, facilitation of financing and integration of DRR into the work programmes of CROP agencies (Council of Regional Organizations of the Pacific).

This project aims to utilize, share, store and manage data and information generated through other climate change and DRR projects implemented in Vanuatu. Similarly it plans to train the “knowledge management officer” intended to sit within the secretariat level of the NAB.The project will be  implemented collaboratively by SPREP and Griffith university and also piloting in the three pilot countries (Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu)

The project builds on a survey of over 800 individual agricultural locations on the island conducted by Matthew Spriggs in 1978-80 and also on an ongoing project of the Nasaukaea Council of Chiefs of Aneityum, funded from the USA, in teaching traditional sustainable agricultural techniques to a new generation of farmers for food security purposes. During this current project considerable damage to the agricultural infrastructure of the island over the last 36 years because of extreme weather events was identified.

New Certificate 1 Level 1Training Program
on Climate Change (CC) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM)

Background

Vanuatu is currently experiences severe impacts of climate change, and the national government has prioritized non-formal education as a critical focus.  Accordingly the Vanuatu Rural Development Training Centre Association (VRDTCA) has plans to develop a stand-alone CC & DRM training module, which will form a mandatory part of training programs.

Many climate change and disaster risk management teaching and learning materials are now available in the region; SPC/GIZ/AusAid Key Message and Learning Outcomes on the CC & DRM (First draft 2012), SPC SOPAC Hazard in the Pacific Factsheets, USP PACE-SD Factsheets on CC, Country Profiles (PCCSP Climate Change Projections), IPCC Reports and the SPC/GIZ/PACCSAP Learning about Climate Change the Pacific Way picture based education resource and many others.

While multiple development partners are teaching and training on these issues, there is often little consistency and/or coordination among training institutions.  Often these CC & DRM programs are not fully accredited by national training authorities.

In response, the SPC Community Education Training Center (CETC) with the SPC/GIZ’s Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Island Region (CCCPIR) Program and the University of the South Pacific, Pacific Centre for Sustainable Development Global Climate Change Alliance Program (USP PACE SD GCCA) have developed a TRAINING MODULE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND DISATER RISK MANAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

This project will facilitate the improvement of water supply and sanitation services in 15 rural communities in Vanuatu.  Water sources will be improved and the water brought within short walking distance of homes, with better access to improved sanitation facilities in the communities being provided through community driven demand from sanitation marketing initiatives.  Governance and management training will be provided for water management committees, and hygiene awareness and training will be facilitated for communities using the PHAST methodology with integrated disaster risk reduction activities included to disaster-proof the new development and raise the community level of resiliency to disasters.