Honiara Solomon Islands Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
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Honiara Solomon Islands Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Honiara Solomon Islands Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Honiara, Solomon Islands – Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Copyright © United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) First edition 2014 United Nations Human Settlements Programme P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, Kenya E-mail: [email protected] www.unhabitat.org HS Number: HS/026/14E ISBN Number (Series): 978-92-1-132400-6 ISBN Number (Volume): 978-92-1-132615-4 DISCLAIMER The designations employed and the presentation of material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or regarding its economic system or degree of development. The analysis conclusions and rec- ommendations of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme or its Governing Council. Cover Photo © Bernhard Barth ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Funding for this report was provided by the United Nations Development Programme under Strengthening Environmental Management, and Reducing the Impact of Climate Change in Solomon Islands (SEMRICC), the Government of Norway, and the United Nations Development Account. Principal Author: Amillah S. Rodil Contributing Author: Maria Adelaida Antonette Mias-Cea Reviewers: Bernhard Barth, Sarah Mecartney, Valentine Thurairajah Summarized by: Maria Tomovic Editor: Maria Tomovic Design and Layout: Deepanjana Chakravarti Special Thanks: Department of Planning, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey, National Geographic Information Centre, Na- tional Disaster Management Office, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Me- teorology, Honiara City Council and United Nations Development Programme geographic information systems Consultants. Contents 01 Introduction 01 02 Overview of the City 02 03 City-wide Vulnerability - 04 Scoping Exposure, Sensitivity and Adaptive Capacity 04 3.1 Overview 04 3.2 Exposure 04 3.3 Sensitivity 06 3.3.1 Environmental Sensitivity 06 3.3.2 Physical Systems Sensitivity 08 3.3.3 Economic Systems 11 3.3.4 Social Systems and Culture 12 3.4 Adaptive Capacity 15 3.4.1 Autonomous Adaptation 16 3.4.2 Collective Adaptation 17 3.4.3 Institutional Adaptation 17 04 Vulnerable People, Places and Sectors 24 4.1 Koa Hill 25 4.2 Fishing Village 26 4.3 Lord Howe Settlement 27 4.4 Matariu and Jericho 29 05 Identifying Key Adaptation Options 31 06 Recommendations and Conclusions 37 List of Figures Figure 1: Planning for Climate Change 01 Figure 2: Map of Honiara 03 Figure 3: Location of Population Exposed to Riverine Floods 05 Figure 4: Exposure & Threat to the Transport System 08 Figure 5: Hazard Exposure of Water System 09 Figure 6: Sewerage System Susceptibility to Floods and Storm Surge 10 Figure 7: Location of Households (Census 2009) 12 Figure 8: Unauthorized Settlement Areas - Survey Zones 13 Figure 9: Adaptive Capacity Definition 15 Figure 10: Institutional Arrangements for the Implementation of the Climate Change Policy 18 Figure 11: Institutional Framework for Disaster Risk Management 19 Figure 12: Map of Profiled Hotspots 24 Figure 13: Flood Prone Area of Koa Hill 26 Figure 14: Fishing Village Location and Hazards 26 Figure 15: Flood Prone Area, Lord Howe Settlement 29 List of Tables Table 1: Summary of Area and Population Figures, Honiara, Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands (2009) 02 Table 2: Summary of the Predicted Future Climate of Solomon Islands 06 Table 3: Solomon Islands Production Value of Key Crops, 2009 11 Table 4: Indicators on Basic Necessities and Services 16 Table 5: Autonomous Adaptation Measures to Lack of Basic Necessities and Services 16 Table 6: Climate Change Related Projects by National Ministries 20 Table 7: National Adaptation Programmes of Action Priorities and Ministries/ Honiara City Council Departments with Relevant Mandates 21 Table 8: Key Honiara City Council Departments Relative to Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation 22 Table 9: List of Profiled Hotspots 24 Table 10: Koa Hill Summary 25 Table 11: Fishing Village Summary 27 Table 12: Lord Howe Summary 28 Table 13: Matariu and Jericho Summary 30 Table 14: Adaptation Options by Sector 31 Table 15: Adaptation Ideas by Location 32 Table 16: Relevant Ministries/ City Departments per Adaptation Option 34 01 Introduction The Honiara City Council Climate Change Vulner- nerability and adaptation assessment will also provide ability and Adaptation Assessment was developed guidance in identifying where and what critical actions in response to a request for assistance to UNDP are needed to effectively manage the unavoidable im- and UN-Habitat by the Solomon Island Government pacts of climate change. through the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology and the Min- The vulnerability and adaptation assessment is envi- istry of Lands, Housing and Survey to implement key sioned to form part of a larger strategic urban plan- recommendations of the Solomon Islands National ning process where stakeholder involvement is essen- Development Strategy (2011-2020) and the National tial. Involving a significant segment of the society right Climate Change Policy (2012-2017). from the beginning of the assessment stage facilitates not only the gathering of more detailed information Given the Government of the Solomon Islands Nation- that may not be available from the local government, al Climate Change Policy directive, the main purpose but also helps in interpreting data and information as of the vulnerability and adaptation assessment for it relates to the unique experiences of different seg- Honiara is to provide national and local government ments of the society. The participatory nature of the decision makers and community leaders with infor- vulnerability and adaptation assessment is expected mation relevant to defining their adaptation priorities to bring about broad-based decision making that in- and plans, with the view of eventually integrating this creases the ability of local governments to mobilize into their regular programmes and budgets. The vul- effective local actions. Figure 1: Planning for Climate Change Source: UN-Habitat and EcoPlan Honiara, Solomon Islands - Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 01 02 Overview of the City Honiara is located on Guadalcanal the largest island in in 2009. Honiara has 12 wards and is the most densely the country, measuring 160 kilometres in length and populated area of the country with 2,953 persons per 45 kilometre wide at the centre. The island stretches square kilometres. and the highest average household from the northwest to the southeast with a moun- size (seven compared to 5.5 country average). tainous spine parallel with, and close to the southern coast. Honiara is the capital city of the Solomon Is- Honiara itself can be divided into two general geo- lands and serves as its main transport hub and eco- graphical zones: the coastal zone, which forms a nar- nomic, political, and educational centre. It is located row alluvial plain varying in width from 120m on the on the north coast of Guadalcanal with an area of 22 east to about 1.7 kilometre on the west and the grassy squarekilometres and a population of 64,609 (equiva- foothills behind the coastal plain, which are incised by lent to 12.5 per cent of the country’s total population) the Mataniko and White River and their tributaries. Table 1: Summary of Area and Population Figures, Honiara, Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands (2009) Solomon Islands Guadalcanal Honiara Area (sq.km) 28,336 5,336 22.73 Population 515,870 93,613 64,609 Average annual 2.3 4.4 2.7 population growth rate (%) Population 17 18 2,953 density (no. of people/sq.km.) No. of 91,251 17,163 8,981 households Average 5.5 5.4 7 household size Source: UN-Habitat 02 Cities and Climate Change Initiative The Solomon Islands is a constitutional monarchy Given the responsibilities of the Honiara City Council, with three tiers of government: national, provincial increasing their capacity in understanding the disaster and local. The sub-national government is made up and climate risks of the city is critical in order for them of nine provincial assemblies and the Honiara City to have the ability to coordinate and partner with wid- Council. The Council is headed by a mayor who ap- er stakeholders in instituting programmes, projects points chairpersons to head the overall administration and activities that would facilitate the city’s resilience of the council’s eight portfolios: education; land and to the negative effects that climate change may bring. planning; works and transport; trade and commerce; law enforcement; finance/administration; health and environment; and youth, sports, and women. Figure 2: Map of Honiara Vuhokesa Naha Lungga River Kukum Nggosi Cruz Panatina Mbumburu West Honiara Nggosi Rove Lengakiki East Honiara Central Honiara Vura Kola’a Mataniko N 4 Km 2 Km Source: UN-Habitat Honiara, Solomon Islands - Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 03 03 City-wide Vulnerability - Scoping Exposure, Sensitivity and Adaptive Capacity 3.1 Overview derived based on stakeholder consultations and dia- logues where UN-Habitat’s “City Consultation Pro- cess” was used. The process promotes a “values-based Three key determinants of vulnerability; exposure, sen- approach in planning” where the factors that the