Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change in Pacific Island Economies
Sofia Bettencourt, World Bank Pacific Islands Vulnerability is Rising...
Event Year Country Losses ( US$ million)
Cyclone Ofa 1990 Samoa 140 Cyclone Val 1991 Samoa 300 Typhoon Omar 1992 Guam 300 Cyclone Kina 1993 Fiji 140 Cyclone Martin 1997 Cook Islands 7.5 Cyclone Hina 1997 Tonga 14.5 Drought 1997 Regional >175 Cyclone Cora 1998 Tonga 56 Cyclone Dani 1999 Fiji 3.5
Sources: Campbell (1999) and World Bank (2000)
The costs of extreme weather events in the 1990s exceeded US$1 billion Donor Commitments are also rising…
$4,000
$3,500 Support Projects $3,000
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500 Adaptation Projects $1,000 Risk/Disaster $500 Commitments (US$’000) Commitments Manag ement $0 1 2 2 2 2 9 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 9 0 Years 1 2 3
Source: Second High Level Adaptation Consultation, Fiji 2003 Emerging Key Principles
Merge adaptation and hazard management Treat adaptation as a major economic, social and environmental risk Mainstream adaptation into national economic planning House adaptation in a high-level coordinating Ministry Treat adaptation as a long-term process Involve communities and private sector Disseminate information to high-level decision makers and the public Strengthen regulations affecting vulnerability An Example of Mainstreaming The Kiribati Adaptation Program Kiribati
Source: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/kiribati.html Kiribati is one of the Most Vulnerable Countries in the World in its Physical Environment…
The 33 atolls of Kiribati are less than 500-1,000 meters in width and rarely rise more than 3 meters above sea level … as well as its Socio-Economic Conditions
High population growth and pollution also contribute to Kiribati’s vulnerability… The Kiribati Adaptation Program
Phase II: Phase III: Phase I: Investments Preparation Pilot Investments
Mainstreaming Adaptation Investments
2003 2005 2008 2013 Mainstreaming Adaptation
National Consultation Process
• 2004-2007 National Development Strategy •Ministry Operational Plans •Budget National Consultations
2 National Workshops 2 National Workshops Gilbert Islands Line Islands National Consensus on the Meaning of Vulnerability
“Vulnerability is of our people, developing in our small islands, in so far as we are characterized by our wellbeing becoming reduced, and our environment becoming degraded. Those situations are brought about by changes in the world and its environment due to climate variability and climate change that are caused by the development activities of all peoples but more so of the rich and industrialized countries… Social Assessment
Major perceived climate changes over past 20 years:
Coastal Erosion: Affecting 1st and 2nd rows of coconuts More Intense Sunlight: “The sun is coming closer to my island”… Sea Level Rise: More intense storm surges - sea water from the lagoon entering taro and banana pits Declining Fish Stocks: changing currents, sedimentation and overfishing Prioritizing Hazards and Adaptation Strategies
• Representatives from each of the Hazards Impacts Adaptation islands identified key changes Strategies (hazards) over the past 20-40 High storm Inundation – Wood years, and coping mechanisms surge water becomes embankment brackish proposed to deal with these changes.
Coastal Plant erosion mangroves; limit sand mining
Drought Crops die Manage Illnesses water reserves Ranking Adaptation Options
• Island representatives ranked the adaptation options and classified them into four categories:
A - Urgent adaptation options which can be done by communities B – Urgent adaptation options for which communities need assistance from the Government C – Adaptation options that are less important/urgent D – Adaptation options that are not yet needed Allocating Responsibilities %category adaptation options were then allocated to the responsible Ministries
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• Priority National Investments (as mainstreamed in MOPs) • Pilot Island Adaptation (in 2 pilot islands) • National Consultation and Mainstreaming • Program Management and Capacity Building
To be funded by Government and GEF Strategic Priority on Adaptation