Implementing Adaptation and Mitigation

Starting Situation

Seagrass, mangroves and salt marshes sequester carbon at rates up to 66 times faster than terrestrial forests and store up to 5 times more carbon per hectare. Pacific Island Countries (PICs) possess significant Seagrass and Mangrove (SaM) resources, providing further ecosystem services related to shoreline protection, food security, tourism revenue and water quality. Habitat loss has been increasing rapidly, yet no adequate baselines exist to determine extent of habitats, rates of loss, or design of targeted management solutions. Methods for the assessment of carbon stocks and emissions in SaM areas exist since 2012, but have not been applied consistently to SaM areas in PICs. Policy makers and researchers note the urgent need to collect nationally relevant SaM data based on consistent methods, that ensure transparency and traceability to mitigate the loss of the world’s coastal carbon sinks and reduce the decline of coastal biodiversity.

Short Project Description

In close collaboration with national and regional partners (SPREP, SPC, USP, CSIRO, CIFOR) and the “Blue Planet” Initiative within the global Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the project will be mapping the SaM status in each of the 4 partner countries, and will assess related carbon storage capacity and ecosystem services. Resulting national inventories of SaM habitats, and associated blue carbon sinks and ecosystem service values will support government partners and policy makers in their efforts to strategically develop and implement conservation, management and rehabilitation efforts. Governments will be assisted to establish nationally appropriate incentives for sustainable management and rehabilitation efforts based on the quantification and documentation of SaM carbon stocks and the resulting emission reductions as part of NDCs and National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs).

Replication Potential

In the context of collaboration with national and regional technical agencies the project will refine and adapt remote sensing data technology for SaM mapping and carbon storage assessment methods for wide-ranging application in PICs during and beyond the project period. Project-based demonstration of effective mapping, monitoring and management regimes aims to foster and support national and regional capacity and up-scaling of these approaches in partner countries and neighbouring PICs. Collaboration and sharing of techniques and experiences with the IKI project “Blue Solutions – Implementing the CBD Strategic Plan in the field of marine and coastal biodiversity” and with the currently planned regional project on “Conservation of biodiversity, seagrass ecosystems and their services – safeguarding food security and resilience in vulnerable coastal communities in a changing climate ” will maximise replicability within the wider region and in collaboration with further global stakeholders

1. The project proposes to support the institutionalization of sustainable transport and electric transport in Vanuatu by i) establishing a coordination body consisting of public and private stakeholders; ii) support the preparation of a gender-responsive national sustainable land transport policy; iii) preparation of a E-Mobility Roadmap including the definition of an incentive scheme, charging network development plan and an innovative end-of-life vehicle strategy; iv) establish statistical systems for the collection, processing, and analysis of key data points for decision-making; and v) capacity building of key stakeholders. 
2. To overcome the challenges and barriers of infrastructure the following actions support the initial uptake of electric vehicles in Vanuatu: i) Feasibility study on the introduction of EVs in a controlled pilot project in Vanuatu to assess applicable technical specification and economic, social and environmental benefits; ii) the deployment of EVs as part of the government vehicle fleet with the integration of Renewable Energy (RE) for vehicle charging within a controlled environment; and iii) technical training for the monitoring, operation and safety of EVs.

   C) In coordination with the work on addressing infrastructure and governance challenges, the following will  work  will be integrated throughout the project: i) preparation of knowledge-sharing material for different target  groups; ii) seminars, workshops and hands-on outreach events on sustainable mobility and EVs

: Climate change and rising sea levels and urbanization in low lying areas will increase the risk of coastal floods, erosion and salinization. Adaptation to reduce future environmental risks is inevitable, but it is unclear which coastal areas will be protected and in which regions residents will be forced to migrate. The EU-ERC COASTMOVE project aims assess how residents of low lying coastal areas can adapt and/or migrate to safer areas. For this, we aim to conduct surveys in 7 coastal areas such as Mozambique, Vietnam, Vanuatu, U.S.

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.

1. 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.
2.  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.
3.  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.

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.

1. 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.
2.  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.
3.  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.

Location: 

The project is focused on outer Islands of the country and emphasis will be given to the areas not covered by BRANTV/GEF project and Green Energy Transformation Project (JSB). Specific site will be selected during development of full proposal.

Pico-hydro PV hybrid demo: 1

Large PV mini grids (about 100 kW each): 5

Institutional PV systems (1.9 – 5.2 kW each): 20

Household-scale PV demos (120 W to 1.6 Kw): 100

Family compound-scale PV deployed across full villages: 20

Wind energy system (wind turbine): 1

The Women’s Resilience to Disasters (WRD) programme is fully funded by the Government of Australia and proposes a comprehensive package to strengthen the resilience of women and girls with the goal of ensuring that the lives and livelihoods of women and girls are resilient to disasters and threats, contributing to sustainable, secure, and thriving communities.

The WRD programme will initially be implemented in Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Fiji. Programme implementation will be driven at country level and supported by regional and global components.

The country components will provide targeted action to strengthen women’s resilience and build gender-responsive systems, advancing different elements of the WRD depending on the national context, policy priorities, existing initiatives, needs, and capacities.

At the regional level, the focus will be on knowledge management, advocacy, and gender and disability support for regional mechanisms, movements, and coalitions, including the Pacific Resilience Partnership.

The global component will advance gender-responsiveness in global DRR and climate processes, provide technical support, ensure global knowledge sharing and advocacy on women’s leadership for disaster resilience, and provide a platform for sharing good practice for gender-responsive resilience and voices from the Pacific.

The expected Outcomes for WRD are two-fold:
1) Prevention, preparedness, and recovery policy frameworks, systems, processes, and tools are gender-responsive, and implemented as a result of local women’s and girls’ advocacy; and
2) Women and girls have voice and agency to withstand multiple hazards, recover from disasters, and increase their resilience to future disasters and threats.

At the country level, the WRD Programme will work with government ministries, UN agencies and regional partners, and CSOs including women’s organisations.

The programme’s principles are localization and ownership. In line with these principles, women’s organizations and DRR and resilience stakeholders will be key partners in programme implementation and monitoring and evaluation. The programme will contribute to key international processes and frameworks, including Agenda 2030, the Sendai Framework, the WHS outcomes, and the Humanitarian- Development-Peace Nexus.

  Performance-Based Climate Resilience Financing Mechanism in Vanuatu - LoCAL

Climate change is negatively impacting livelihoods for a majority of the population in Vanuatu, and is encumbering development and governance at the local level. These impacts will be heightened because of unfavorable climate projections such as the increased intensity of tropical cyclones. In addition, current efforts to adapt to climate change and its associated disasters are far from being transformational in scale and depth, and the need for adaptation across all sectors is immense. Consequently, it is important that adaptation to climate change is escalated at the local level to safeguard social and economic infrastructure, create opportunities for the most vulnerable communities to meet their needs, safeguard and restore critical ecosystems (for the purposes of livelihoods, income and biophysical integrity)  and to foster resilient development into local governance

LoCAL in Vanuatu make use of the existing funding system and grants to provincial governments under and augment this in terms of finance for CC interventions, assessment system with focus on climate change adaptation performance, M&E to track additional funding for CC targeted investments and CB/TA to ensure mainstreaming of climate change through the entire planning and project implementation structure, see below.

 To reduce the vulnerability of rural communities in Tonga,Vanuatu and Samoa to the impacts of Climate chnage,the proposed project will enable the transition from conventional to climate-resilient, regenerative agricultural (CRRA) practices. Through these practices, the delivery of agricultural ecosystem services will be enhanced and  dependence on external inputs reduced.

To support the adoption of CRRA, the proposed project will:

1. strengthen cross-sectoral partnerships
2. enhance market incentives for CRRA
3. Provide training and support for farmers and 
4. implement robust monitoring and knowledge-sharing initiatives to support learning and adaptive implementation of CRRA

Oxfam International is a world-wide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against poverty. In the Pacific, we work with our partners to ensure that Pacific Islander women and men (specifically those that are poor, marginalised or excluded) are leading and shaping their development and where their voices are heard and acted on by those in power. In the Pacific, Oxfam’s regional office is based in Suva, Fiji, where our Fiji country office and our base for remote cluster management of the Polynesia/Micronesia country office are also located. We also have offices in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

The Pacific Islands Climate Change Collaboration, Influencing and Learning (PACCCIL) project is a four year (2018 – 2021) project funded for the first two years by Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). It aims at strengthening the influencing capacity of civil society actors and networks to ensure that action on climate change in the Pacific region is more effective, inclusive and collaborative. The project will work with key climate change action networks in Vanuatu and at the regional level, as well as facilitate the organising and collective action of civil society actors in Solomon Islands and the Polynesia and Micronesia sub-regions against climate change.

The LECB Programme phase II aims to assist Vanuatu to implement Output 1 under the programme: Policies, institutional frameworks and national MRV systems strengthened and harmonized to mainstream national mitigation policies and targets in the context of NDCs. This output is expected to support the review and/or formulation of roadmap for NDC implementation including new mitigation actions beyond current NDC commitment periods. The key activity results includes: designing of NDC implementation plans and institutional frameworks; designing and implementation of MRV systems to support implementation and evaluation of NDCs and designing and strengthening the NAMAs in the context of NDC implementation through robust frameworks for NDC implementation plans and future rounds of NDCs.

With this project IUCN Oceania seeks to address the key challenges of mangrove management to increase the resilience of the Pacific people to climate change and improve livelihoods.

THE PROJECT
With the MESCAL project IUCN Oceania seeks to address the key challenges of mangrove management to increase the resilience of the Pacific people to climate change and improve livelihoods. By working with five Pacific Island Countries (Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga) IUCN Oceania will promote an adaptive co-management approach as well as the restoration of mangrove ecosystems. 

BACKGROUND
Pacific Islanders are at the forefront of climate change; experiencing its varying impacts on coastlines, biodiversity, economy and most importantly on livelihoods. The conservation of mangroves and associated ecosystems is a key natural adaptation strategy and mitigation measure to climate change. Mangrove ecosystems provide goods and services highly valued by the people of the Pacific. However, this unique ecosystem faces continuing threats from overharvesting, degradation and land reclamation.

SITUATION
Protection of mangrove ecosystems will in turn safeguard the livelihoods of Pacific Island communities, especially for coastal dwellers. Weak governance, disconnect between formal and traditional management systems, limited baseline information, weakening traditional management, lack of awareness and limited capacity are the key challenges of mangrove management in the Pacific. 

DONOR
German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) under its International Climate Initiative.