The Pacific Island nations are extremely vulnerable to climate change and variablitiy. Our homes, infrastructure, livelihoods and natural resources that we rely on are concentrated along an increasingly vulnerable coast. In an effort to implement adaptation measures that respond to climate change risks, secures global environmental benefits, and increase adaptive capacities of communities, ten (10) countries from around the world were selected to reflect different but specific ecosystems that are highly vulnerable to climate change.

Samoa,the only island nation from the Pacific, was selected to represent highly vulnerable island ecosystems taking part in the UNDP-GEF global programme on Community Based Adaptation (CBA).  The UNDP Multi-Country Office in Samoa in collaborations with the Small Grants Programme (SGP) and with funding from AusAID are assisting communities in Samoa to implement adaptation activities and measures identified by the communities, for the communities, to help them adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change.   

Currently, eight (8) villages including Fasitootai, Safa’i, Satoalepai, Fagamalo, Lelepa, Avao, Vaipouli and Salei’a are implementing adaptation projects to address climate change and variability  facing their communities. The first step in the process was a consultation meeting facilitated by the UNDP-GEF/SGP/CBA team with technical assistance from Government representatives and the private sector to plan, review and update key activities required to formulate a full adaptation project proposal. This consultation helped the communities to formulate and understand the CBA requirements and also to reconfirm their desire to participate in this pilot programme. 

The consultation was a significant occasion given the commitments shown by the villages, Members of Parliament, SGP National Steering Committee representatives, Government officials and others who attended. The communities are now implementing their planned activities which include increasing the resilience of ecosystems to climate change impacts and being better able to buffer communities against the risks of increasingly intense floods, cyclones and storm surges. Additionally, capacity will be developed among the community members to manage local ecosystems to reduce ongoing climate risks by participating in climate change awareness raising programmes in the village.

These community-based climate change adaptation projects are examples of the importance of working together to address climate change issues and developing strong partnerships between the Government of Samoa, UNDP, SGP, AusAID, NGOs and the communities that are most affected by the impacts of climate change in the Pacific. These partnerships will help inform and formulate strategies and synergies for the future of climate change adaptation work in Samoa and the region.

For further information contact Mr. Kevin Petrini from SGP/CBA at kevin.petrini@undp.org

To find out about the UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) in Samoa, please visit: http://www.sgpsamoa.ws  

You can read more about the Global Environment Facility (GEF) here: http://www.gefweb.org
 
Information about the UNDP/GEFSmall Grants Programme (SGP) in general can be found here: http://sgp.undp.org     

For more information about UNDP’s Community Based-Adaptation Initiatives, please visit: 

http://www.undp-adaptation.org/project/cba

For more information about UNDP Environment and Energy Group’s work on climate change adaptation, please visit: http://www.undp.org/climatechange/adapt