Abaiang Island, Kiribati – Sustainable Pacific development through science, knowledge and innovation A Whole-of-Island Integrated Vulnerability Assessment Pacific Community | [email protected] | www.spc.int Headquarters: Noumea, New Caledonia Abaiang Island, Kiribati - A Whole-of-Island Integrated Vulnerability Assessment Jointly prepared by the Government of Kiribati and Kiribati National Expert Group (KNEG), Pacific Community (SPC), Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH © Pacific Community (SPC) Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) 2016 All rights for commercial/for profit reproduction or translation, in any form, reserved. SPC, GIZ and SPREP authorize the partial reproduction or translation of this material for scientific, educational or research purposes, provided that SPC, GIZ, SPREP and the source document are properly acknowledged. Permission to reproduce the document and/or translate in whole, in any form, whether for commercial/for profit or non-profit purposes, must be requested in writing. Original SPC/GIZ/SPREP artwork may not be altered or separately published without permission. Original text: English Pacific Community Cataloguing-in-publication data Abaiang Island, Kiribati: a Whole-of-Island Integrated Vulnerability Assessment / jointly prepared by the Government of Kiribati and Kiribati National Expert Group (KNEG), Pacific Community (SPC), Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH 1. Climatic changes — Kiribati. 2. Climatic changes — Management — Kiribati. 3. Climatic changes — Environmental aspects — Kiribati. 4. Climate change mitigation — Kiribati. 5. Livelihood and environment — Kiribati. 6. Environment— Management — Kiribati. 577.220 99681 AACR2 I. Title II. Kiribati III. Pacific Community IV. Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme V. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit ISBN: 978-982-000987-5 ii Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... vi ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................... vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 1 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 3 2. THE WHOLE-OF-ISLAND APPROACH .................................................................................. 3 2.1 Rationale ................................................................................................................................................. 3 2.2 Objective of the Whole-of-Island approach ......................................................................................... 4 2.3 Towards conceptual foundations .......................................................................................................... 4 2.4 Outer island selection process .............................................................................................................. 4 2.5 Whole-of-Island partners ...................................................................................................................... 5 3. INTEGRATED VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT APPROACH .................................................. 7 3.1 Integrated vulnerability assessment framework ................................................................................. 7 3.2 IVA methods ........................................................................................................................................ 10 3.2.1 National consultation ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 3.2.2 Field-based studies ................................................................................................................................................................. 10 3.2.3 Participatory appraisals in selected villages ..................................................................................................................... 11 3.2.4 Household surveys ................................................................................................................................................................ 12 3.2.5 Field assessment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 3.2.6 Review of previous scientific studies, policies and reports ......................................................................................... 13 3.2.7 Meta-analysis ........................................................................................................................................................................... 14 4. THE CONTEXT .................................................................................................................. 14 4.1 Kiribati .................................................................................................................................................. 14 4.1.1 The experienced and anticipated climate ........................................................................................................................ 15 4.1.2 The Kiribati Joint Implementation Plan and institutional framework for climate change and disaster management....................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 4.2 Abaiang ................................................................................................................................................. 17 4.2.1 Physical geography ................................................................................................................................................................. 17 4.2.2 Demography ............................................................................................................................................................................ 19 4.2.3 Local resource use ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 4.2.4 Exposure to climate change and disaster: Comparisons of technical and local observations ........................... 19 5. THE ADAPTIVE CAPACITY OF ABAIANG AND THE SENSITIVITY OF LIVELIHOOD RESOURCES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND DISASTERS ............................................................ 24 5.1 Ecosystem capacity to support livelihood needs and sensitivity to climate change and disasters 25 5.1.1 Settlement, housing and local sources of energy ........................................................................................................... 26 5.1.2 Natural water resources ...................................................................................................................................................... 32 5.1.3 Natural food resources ........................................................................................................................................................ 37 5.1.4 Natural resource-based commodities for household income ................................................................................... 41 5.2 Infrastructure capacity to support livelihood needs and sensitivity to climate change and disasters ...................................................................................................................................................... 42 5.2.1 Housing and public buildings ............................................................................................................................................... 42 5.2.2 Water and sanitation infrastructure ................................................................................................................................. 43 5.2.3 Economically enabling infrastructure ................................................................................................................................ 45 5.2.4 Education infrastructure....................................................................................................................................................... 49 5.2.5 Health infrastructure............................................................................................................................................................. 50 5.3 Human capabilities to support livelihood needs and sensitivity to climate change and disasters 50 5.3.1 Productive population and dependency ratio ................................................................................................................. 50 5.3.3 Knowledge and skills (traditional and modern) ............................................................................................................. 52 5.3.4 Population health ..................................................................................................................................................................