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World Fisheries Day is celebrated annually on November 21. The annual event recognises the importance of our fisheries whether it’s coastal or offshore. Additionally, it is a call for restoration of some of our degraded ecosystems that support important fisheries. One of which is seagrass. Seagrass is an important blue carbon ecosystem providing ecosystem goods and services such as carbon storage, shoreline protection, food security, tourism revenue and water quality. It is a highly efficient carbon sink, storing up to 18 per cent of the world’s oceanic carbon. According to the UN, twenty-one per cent of seagrass species are categorized as Near Threatened, Vulnerable and Endangered Species under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Furthermore, it is estimated that 7 per cent of this key marine habitat is being lost worldwide per year.<br>
Seagrass in the Pacific<br>
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The “Committing to Sustainable Waste Actions in the Pacific” referred to hereafter as SWAP project aims to improve sanitation, environmental, social, and economic conditions in Pacific Island countries and territories through proper waste management.
To achieve this, the overall work focuses on three streams of wastes: used oil, marine debris, disaster wastes and an overarching issue on sustainable financing mechanisms.
Six countries and territories benefit from this overall project which include Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna.
Marine litter is one of the main issues that the SWAP project tries to address as Pacific islands are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of marine debris, due to the particular value and sensitivity of their coastal environments. A report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has revealed that there are now over 150 million tonnes of plastics in the oceans. That's about one tonne of plastics for every three tonnes of fish. If the trend continues, plastics will outweigh fish in the oceans by 2050.
As behaviour change is a priority in order to address this problem of marine litter in a sustainable way, the SWAP project has produced a video to raise awareness of the problem of marine litter: ‘PLASTIC PARADISE’. This video is available in English and French as well as Fijian, Samoan, Pidgin, Tongan and Bislama.
This video is the intellectual property of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and therefore may be used for educational or non-profit services without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. SPREP would appreciate receiving information on the use of the video: audience, purpose, etc. by completing this ‘SPREP/SWAP Marine Litter Awareness Video Use Request Form’.
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The Paris Agreement was adopted by consensus on 12 December 2015, during the 21st session of Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and entered into force on 4 November 2016. This landmark agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and requires all Parties to establish robust measuring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems and to communicate their efforts to UNFCCC. In this context, on 22-Jul-21, GEF approved a project identification form (PIF) and project preparation grant (PPG) submitted by FAO titled ‘Strengthening capacity in the Energy, Agriculture, Forestry, and other Land-use Sectors for Enhanced Transparency in the Implementation and Monitoring of Vanuatu’s Nationally Determined Contribution’.
The project aims to develop Vanuatu’s institutional and human capacities for complying with Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) reporting requirements of the Paris Agreement, and implementation and monitoring of Vanuatu’s Nationally Determined Contribution focusing on Energy, Agriculture, Forestry and other Land-use Sectors. With the MOCC Department of Environment Protection and Conservation (DEPC) of Vanuatu & Department of Climate Change as executing partner, and CBIT as resource partner, the GEF-7 has entrusted FAO for the preparation and implementation of the project.
The project will be executed under the following components and outcomes:
Project Component 1: Strengthening Vanuatu’s institutional arrangements for a robust MRV system for NDC climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.
Outcomes of Project Component 1:
1.1 NDC transparency system in place following the UNFCCC modalities, procedures, and guidelines.
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IUCN Marine & Coastal Biodiversity in Pacific Islands Countries & Atolls Project (MACBIO) is supporting the Vanuatu Government achieve sustainable management of ecosystems and marine resources in country. Natural resources in marine and coastal areas are of high importance for Vanuatu and sustain the livelihoods of coastal communities. However, the need to use marine resources sustainably is not well reflected in national planning processes, due in part to insufficient information regarding their economic value and lack of concerted marine spatial planning.
MACBIO project 2013-2018 aims to help Vanuatu to meet their commitments under the CBD Strategic Plan 2011-2020 and the relevant Aichi targets, including the Programme of Work on Protected Areas (POWPA) and the Programme of Work on Island Biodiversity (POWIB) Specifically, the project aims to enhance ecosystem-based management and support more effectively managed marine resources which should lead to more resilient coastal and marine economies, more sustainable use of marine biodiversity, and will contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as securing and strengthening local livelihoods. Tried and tested concepts and instruments will be adopted in Vanuatu.
The MACBIO project is being implemented by GIZ with technical support from IUCN-Oceania in close collaboration with SPREP.
. The IUCN components of the project aim to achieve the following outcome and outputs:
Outputs (specific project goals):
An ocean-wide policy and spatial planning framework
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PEBACC is a five year project funded by the German Government, implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to explore and promote ecosystem-based options for adapting to climate change. The overall intended outcome of the project is: EbA is integrated into development, climate change adaptation responses, and natural resource management policy and planning processes in three Pacific island countries (Vanuatu, Fiji and Solomon Islands) providing replicable models for other countries in the region.
Overall Goal:
· Natural adaptation solutions are fully integrated into development, climate change adaptation and NRM policy and planning processes in four ecologically and geographically diverse Pacific island countries, also providing replicable models for other countries in the region, and is successfully demonstrated through implementation at national, provincial and local levels.The project will employ staff in Vanuatu; In addition to a SPREP Officer who will be the Vanuatu component project leader for this project and may be based in Vanuatu; One or two locally hired positions will directly support the project implementation and develop linkages to other projects and programmes, it is proposed that a locally hired position will be located within the SPC-GIZ CCCPIR.
Relevant projects and strategy to avoid duplication:
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Definition of SubdivisionFor the purpose of this policy, a subdivision is defined as the division of an existing registered lease or registration of a new lease into two (2) or more lots by way of subleases, derivative leases or community titles. Such developments are still subject to the written consent of the Director of Land Surveys per the provisions of Section 12(a) of the Land Leases Act (CAP 163).
Purpose of this policyA To provide a clear purpose and guidelines by which subdivisions may be created and to establish the parameters of the administrative processes to achieve the purpose.B To ensure that the creation of subdivisions results in environmentally and socially sustainable development and an improved quality of life for residents with suitable standards of amenity, access, affordability, disaster risk reduction and health and safety.C To provide equity for all landowners and residents including present and future generations by taking into consideration cultural, economic, and environmental values attached to the land being subdivided.Environmentally & socially sustainableImproved quality of lifeSuitable standards of amenity & access Affordability Disaster riskreductionHealth & SafetyFigure 1: Outcomes of a sound Subdivision Policy.3 General principlesA This Policy is subject to and complements all existing laws of the country. Particular laws whichhave relevance are:i. Land
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This Excel-based tool is intended to help project proponents find policy statements to support project proposals. This is not an exhaustive list of policies - only the policies considered most relevant to climate change and disaster risk reduction are included. Policy statements are filterable by sector and thematic area. Please note that policy statements must not be taken out of context and always consult the original policies and strategies to ensure contextual alignment. View the note on methodology for more information regarding how this tool was developed.
System requirements: Excel 2010 or later.
The following policies and strategies are included in this tool:
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The National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy was spearheaded by the Environment Unit (now the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation) in 1999. English and Bislama versions are provided in a single PDF.
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The Government of Vanuatu has decided to develop an oceans policy, which aligns with recommendations from theCommonwealth Secretariat.This report summarises the main findings1 of an analysis and assessment of 69 instruments of legislation andsubordinate policies and plans that are relevant to management and use of Vanuatu’s territorial waters and thereforerelevant to the development of the national oceans policy. The review of Vanuatu’s legislation, policies, strategies andplans relating to oceans management is part of the Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Management in Pacific IslandCountries (MACBIO) project.The approach to the review involved an analytical framework comprising three components:1. Individual analysis of legislation, policies, strategies and plans;2. Integration of individual analyses into an assessment table for comparative analysis and assessment; and3. A report which provides an assessment narrative based on the individual analyses and the information from theassessment table.
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The Vanuatu National Environment Policy and Implementation Plan 2016–2030 (NEPIP) is an illustration of the Government’s commitment to environmental sustainability and meets the requirements of a national policy and plan set out in the Environmental Protection and Conservation Act [CAP 283]. The NEPIP sets a solid policy platform for long term planning and action to respond to priority environmental issues being addressed by the Government and its partners. In formulating this policy, the Government focussed on the sustainable management of its environmental assets and the protection of its people.
The NEPIP is also part of a wider policy framework and addresses those matters included in the environment pillar of the National Sustainable Development Plan. It is also an indication by the Government in keeping with its commitments on the SAMOA Pathway, Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Ecosystem and socio-economic resilience analysis and mapping (ESRAM) is the first phase of the Pacific Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to Climate Change project (PEBACC), a five-year initiative funded by the German Government and implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). The intention of the project (2014 – 2019) is to promote ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) through the generation of new knowledge on local ecosystem services and its integration into development, climate change adaptation and natural resource management policy and planning processes in three Pacific island countries – Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands.
This technical summary document reports on the findings from the first phase ESRAM activity that was conducted in Greater Port Vila between January and June 2016. Whilst it was understood at the outset that both climate and non-climate drivers would be important influences on ecosystem quality (and the services they provide), local engagement - through household surveys and community workshops - also uncovered substantial detail on the range of contemporary issues facing these communities: urban development, pollution, access to water, overharvesting and poor management of resources, sand mining, and climate impacts (including ongoing recovery from Tropical Cyclone Pam, March 2015). It is clear that the ecosystem and socio-economic resilience challenges for these urban and peri-urban communities are already considerable but will be further amplified by continued urbanisation and future climate change in the years to come.
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There are about 30 species of mangroves in Solomon Islands, representing 40% of the world's mangrove species. They can be found on most islands ans it is estimated that mangroves here cover an area of about 50 000 hectares.
Mangroves are important resources for livelihoodof rural coastal communities. However there ias not an endleess supply.
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Set of 12 coloured fact sheets in English produced by the Pacific Centre for Environment & Sustainable Development (PACE-SD)
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The Pacific Islands region is experiencing climate change. Key indicators of the changingclimate include rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, rising air and sea temperatures,rising sea levels and upper-ocean heat content, changing ocean chemistry and increasingocean acidity, changing rainfall patterns, decreasing base flow in streams, changingwind and wave patterns, changing extremes, and changing habitats and species distributions.Currently, the most vulnerable areas include low islands (atoll islands and otherislands that rise only a few feet above present sea level), nearshore and coastal areas,and coral reefs. High-elevation (particularly alpine and subalpine) ecosystems are alsovulnerable. The climatic changes are affecting every aspect of life. Freshwater suppliesfor natural systems, as well as communities and businesses, are at risk. Food security isthreatened through impacts on both agriculture and fisheries. The built environment isalso at risk from coastal flooding and erosion as sea levels incrementally increase. Lossof habitat for endangered species such as monk seals, sea turtles, and Laysan ducks isexpected along with increased coral bleaching episodes, expansion of avian malaria tohigher elevations, and changes in the distribution and survival of the areas’ marine biodiversity.Over the coming decades, impacts are expected to become more widespreadand more severe.
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This report explores the opportunities that recognising blue carbon could bring to Vanuatu. Commissioned by the Government of Vanuatu from the Commonwealth Secretariat, it sets out the opportunities, supportive arguments, and issues and potential barriers around incorporating blue carbon as part of their overall climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy. While a number of blue carbon projects elsewhere are focused primarily (or soley) on monetising the financial value of carbon through carbon credit schemes or similar, the Commonwealth Secretariat believes this to be an inherently risky strategy. Carbon prices may vary or crash, and such an approach is often at odds with cultural and societal values, especially in the Pacific region.This report takes a broader look at the full range of values blue carbon can hold for Vanuatu, describing the values of blue carbon habitats, what is already known about such habitats in Vanuatu, and how existing projects and initiatives can help form a useful basis from which to proceed. As such it may act as a blueprint for studies elsewhere in the Pacific and more widely, though the exact mix of recommendations made here are specific to Vanuatu. This is due to the relatively small area of blue carbon habitats present, but also the strong and intimate links through customary stewardship between local communities and the health and wellbeing of their surrounding environment.The report makes 12 major recommendations stemming from this analysis and the overall conclusion of the net positive effect that would be achieved from implementing a blue carbon initiative in a stepwise approach, in isolation, or with other countries in the region.
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Torba is the most northern and isolated province in Vanuatu. The province has an estimated population of 9,359 people and a land-area of 882 km². Its capital is Sola on the island of Vanua Lava. There are two groups of islands in Torba Province, which are the Banks Group and Torres Groups.
Torba is the perhaps the least developed province in Vanuatu. Transport is irregular and difficult. Communication is challenging. Infrastructure is limited on most islands with a few roads and vehicles present on Vanua Lava, Gaua & Mota Lava. Air Vanuatu provides regular service to Vanua Lava, Mota Lava, Gaua & Loh Island in the Torres Group. Small “banana boats” are relied upon heavily, despite frequent rough seas, to access remaining communities. The difficulty and infrequent level of transport in Torba Province has resulted in a much higher pricing for locals when they purchase commonly used goods and supplies such as fuel and tinned foods.
A missionary doctor, who is also a pilot, lives on the island of Gaua and makes routine visits to the islands in the Banks and Torres groups and transports patients to health facilities in Luganville, Santo and Port Vila, Efate as necessary. Additional landing strips for his small plane have been created on some additional islands as well in Torba Province as well but these are not serviced by Air Vanuatu.
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Shefa Province is one of the six provinces of Vanuatu, located in the lower centre of the country and it includes the islands of Epi, Efate and the Shepherds Group. It has a total population of 79,212people based on latest estimate by Vanuatu Statistics Office and an area of 1,455 km². Its capital is Port Vila, which is also the capital of the nation.
Epi Island is located in the northeast corner of the province. The Epi Sub-District Office, an integral part of the Shefa Provincial Government Council is located at Rovo Bay, in the Vermali Area Council.
At the time of the 2009 Census, the total population of Epi Island was 5,647 people, which includes the population of offshore Lamen Island. There are four Area Councils on Epi: Vermaul, Vermali, Varsu and Yarsu, collectively containing over 25 villages.
Epi receives an abundance of precipitation, ranging from 2.9m annually in the centre of the island to 2.2m annually on the northwest coast. The temperature on the island varies during hot and cool seasons, but averages approximately 24.9°C at the coast and is a few degrees cooler in the centre of the island.
Epi is seasonal and is warmer from November until April. Like the rest of Vanuatu, the island’s weather is strongly influenced by the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycles. During the El Nino (warm phase) the country is subject to long dry spells. During the La Nina (cool phase) Vanuatu has prolonged wet conditions. Climate change predictions suggest that the intensification of the ENSO cycle will result in more intense wet and dry seasons. While the island has been affected by cyclones in the past, cyclones rarely hit the island. The last cyclone in Epi was in 1994. Cyclone frequency is not expected to increase with climate change.
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As of the 2009 Census, the total population on the island of Santo was 39,606 people. Santo is the second highest populated island in Vanuatu, second only to Efate. Luganville, with a population of 13,167 is the second largest town in Vanuatu and is located on the southern coast of the island, approximately a 1.5 hour drive from the project site. According to the 2009 Census, the annual population growth rate for Santo is 2.4%.
As the largest island in Vanuatu, Santo has an extensive mountain range along its southern & western coasts with many large rivers and creeks extending into the uplands. The eastern coast is relatively flat in comparison and is primarily used for agricultural purposes. A large natural harbor is present in the north called Big Bay, where a significant portion of the island’s population islocated. The interior of the island is inaccessible and populated sparsely by tribes of Ni-Vanuatu living traditional subsistence agrarian lifestyles, many of whom do not speak Bislama or wear Western clothing. A majority of the offshore islands in Sanma Province are located off of the southeast corner of Santo.
There is substantial road access throughout the vast island of Santo, although there are many areas where road access is poor or there is no road access whatsoever and where communities rely only on footpaths or boats for transportation. The road from Luganville to Port Olry, which spans the eastern coast of Santo, is in excellent condition with tar-sealed bitumen and drainage provided through funding from the US government through the Millenium Challenge Corporation and was recently completed in 2011. The wide roads in the main town of Luganville are in good condition despite the need for minor repairs in certain areas and were originally built by the American armed forces during World War II when Santo served as a base for American troops.
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The Invasive Species Flipchart is designed to support community groups working to address the issue of invasive species in Vanuatu. These groups can include farmers, NGOs and other agencies. Government ministries, high schools, universities and colleges may also find the chart useful.
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This book is about how you can use trees and gardens together to reclaim land that has been overrun by Big Leaf Rope. This approach has many benefits. Most importantly, it will allow you to make use of otherwise wasted land, and turn it into a fertile and productive garden. Techniques outlined in this book will allow for an increased crop yield and overall profit, helping to better support you and your family. It will help to increase the variety of crops you can grow, and provide further opportunities down the road selling timber from trees. Equally, trees and wildlife that are often supressed by Big Leaf Rope will also have a chance to grow back again, helping to restore Vanuatu’s rich biodiversity. Using this technique, ongoing efforts to maintain your plot and keep it free from Big Leaf Rope will decrease, making it easier to keep your garden and surrounding environment healthy and productive. We believe that by following the approach described here, you will see benefits for your community, your environment, and even to your income. This step by step guide aims to help you in setting up your own ‘agroforestry garden’ either on your own, or as a community.
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The Invasive Species Media Guide targets journalists, reporters, photographers, environmental writers and other people working within, or having an interest in, media and communication roles in Vanuatu. It aims to heighten awareness within the media and communications sector about the issue of invasive species in Vanuatu.
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This report assesses adaptive capacity in the Tegua island community in northern Vanuatu and examines the role of the ‘Capacity Building for the Development of Adaptation Measures in Pacific Island Countries’ (CBDAMPIC) relocation project in shaping it.
This case study illuminates the opportunities for, and barriers to, adaptive capacity in the Tegua island community in northern Vanuatu, using a Pacific-specific analysis framework developed by a collaborative effort between the University of the South Pacific (USP), the Red Cross and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). It examines the experiences of the community in a pilot project involving relocation and water resource management as part of the regional Capacity Building for the Development of Adaptation Measures in Pacific Island Countries (CBDAMPIC) program for climate change adaptation. In particular, it examines the impacts of the CBDAMPIC pilot project in shaping adaptive capacity in this community.
This report was supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Pacific Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning (PACCSAP) program.
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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 PROJECTWith 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.
BACKGROUNDPacific 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.
SITUATIONProtection 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.
DONORGerman Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) under its International Climate Initiative.
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This report uses these generic methods to provide recommendations for climate resilient development in the PICs in the following sectors: coastal protection, flood management, water resources management, protection of infrastructure against changes in temperature and precipitations, protection of buildings against cyclone winds, and adaptation in the agriculture sector.
A new World Bank report has highlighted the need for Pacific Island countries to better incorporate climate and disaster risk management into planning and development, while proposing priority investments and policies to boost resilience to the year 2040.
Launched in Fiji today at the Symposium on Climate Change Adaptation in the Pacific Region, Pacific Possible: Climate and Disaster Resilience considers the economic costs of climate adaptation, and proposes adaptation strategies for areas including infrastructure and buildings, coastal protection, water resources, flooding and agriculture, with special consideration given to the unique challenges of atoll islands.
“Climate change and extreme weather events have the potential to adversely affect coastal zones, water resources, health, infrastructure, agriculture and food security,” said Denis Jordy, Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank. “And if new investments are not properly planned, they risk exacerbating the impacts of natural hazards and climate change by increasing the vulnerability and exposure of those at risk.”
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