Technical building blocks are core interventions (or products) aimed at increasing resilience to climate change and disaster risks.
Risk Information
Identifying and mapping assets and populations at risk; integrating risk information into investments, policies and spatial planning.
- Caribbean Handbook on Risk Information Management
- Small Islands (Chapter 29 of the fifth IPCC report). Synthesis of expected climate change impacts and vulnerability of the small islands (Authors: Nurse L. and McLean R. et al., IPCC)
- Many Atolls may be Uninhabitable within Decades due to Climate Change. Recent publication modeling wave run-up and flooding due to sea level rise on atolls. (Authors: Storlazzi, C. D., Elias E. P. L and Berkowitz P.)
- Future Wave and Wind Projections for United States and US-Affiliated Pacific Islands. Wave and wind modeling for northern Pacific Island region (includes FSM, RMI, Palau and U.S. Territories. (Authors: US Department of Interior, US Geological Survey)
- Climate Variability, Extremes and Change in the Western Tropical Pacific 2014. Scientific understanding (in 2014) of large-scale climate processes, observations, extremes and projections in the western tropical Pacific. (Authors: Australian Government and Australian Aid)
- Exposure of coastal built assets in the South Pacific to climate risks. Descriptions of the spatial repartition of the built infrastructure and its exposures in 12 Pacific Island Countries. (Authors: Kumar L. and Taylor S., 2015)
Risk Reduction
Financing investments in safer infrastructure, coastal protection, ridge-to-reef development planning and other priorities.
Costal Protection
- Urban Flood Risk Management in the Pacific: Tracking progress and setting priorities. Knowledge Note from the Urban Floods Community of Practice describing a benchmarking method developed to track the progress of Pacific island countries toward best-practice flood risk management.
- Building with Nature Project in Suriname. Video showing the use of sediment traps to build up coastal land and enable mangrove regeneration. (Authors: Conservation International Suriname)
- Building with Nature in Indonesia. Using ecosystem based (including sediment trap) to secure eroding delta coastlines. (Authors: Wetland International with Deltares)
- A Bird’s Eye View of the East Demearara Water Conservancy - Flood-risk reduction along Guyana’s coast. Presentation of how the conservancy helps to drain and store water in combination with a pumped drainage system and dams to reduce the risk of flooding caused by precipitation and high tides. (Authors: World Bank with the help of the Ministry of Agriculture)
- Building with Nature Project in Suriname. Video showing the use of sediment traps to build up coastal land and enable mangrove regeneration. (Authors: Conservation International Suriname)
- Coastal Risk Reduction and Resilience: Using the Full Array of Measures. A summary of structural and non-structural coastal risk reduction measures. (Authors: US Army Corps of Engineers)
- The Coastal Ecosystem in Tuvalu and Geo-ecological Management against Sea-Level Rise. Eco-system based approach to build resilience on atolls. (Authors: Kayanne H., Hosono T. and Kawada, A.)
- SimpleCoast. Simple assessment concepts and tools for coastal problems and design of adaptation and disaster risk management solutions – designed for low-capacity, low-data sites. (Authors: Deltares)
- Guides sur les options d’adaptation en zones côtières a l’attention des décideurs locaux. Description of adaptation solutions for the coastlines (in French). (Authors: Niang et al. / UNESCO et Commission Océanographique Intergouvernementale)
- Technologies for Climate Change Adaptation – Coastal Erosion and Flooding. Description of structural (grey and green) and non-structural solutions, with advantages and drawback. (Authors: Linham M. and Nicholls R. / UNEP and GEF)
- Managing Coasts with Natural Solutions. Guidelines for Measuring and Valuing the Coastal Protection Services of Mangroves and Coral Reefs – includes a review of tools used for ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA). (Authors: WAVES/World Bank Group)
- Mangroves for Coastal Defence. Guidelines for Coastal Managers & Policy Makers. (Author: Spalding M. / The Nature Conservancy
- Mangrove rehabilitation with sediment trapping in Suriname. Use of vegetative sediment traps to encourage mangrove rehabilitation against coastal erosion in Suriname. (Authors: Naipal S & Christa Fung-A-L and Suriname Conservation).
- Beach Erosion Management in Small Island Developing States: Indian Ocean case studies. Beach erosion management options and policy choices, including engineering and non-engineering solutions (experience of Seychelles and Mauritius). (Author: Durvat, V.)
- Coastal Mining and its Influence on Coastline Stability. Comparative assessment of sand mining status in Indian Ocean countries (including Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Reunion, Madagascar). (Author: Barwell, L. / UNEP)
- Eco-Technological Management of Tuvalu against Sea Level Rise. Application of foraminifera farming and coral transplantation to enhance sand production and sedimentation in Fongafale Island, Funafuti atoll, Tuvalu. (Authors: Kayanne H., Ibaraki Univ., the Univ. Ryukyus, and Department of Environment and Fisheries, Tuvalu)
- Linking Reef Ecology to Island Building: Parrotfish identified as major producers of island-building sediment in the Maldives. Recent publication highlighting the importance of health parrotfish populations for sediment generation in atolls. (Authors: Perry, C.T., Kench P.S., O’Leary M.J., Morgan K.M. and Januchowski-Hartley F.)
- Survey of Climate Change Adaptation Measures in Maldives. (Author: Ministry of Housing and Environment of Maldives)
- A Landowner’s guide to coastal protection. Description of small-scale approaches to adapt against erosion and flooding. (Author: USAID, SeaGrant, UNDP, Coastal Resources Center, RMI and NOAA)
- Physical modelling and design for shoreline redevelopment on the south coast of Barbados. Use of physical models to test different options to grant access to the beach while protecting the shoreline, with a combination of green and grey solution. (Authors: Graham F. et al., 2016)
Risk-Based Spatial Planning
- The Dilemmas of Risk-Sensitive Development on a Small Volcanic Island. Experience of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on how volcanic SIDS face multiple hazards because of their geography and topography. So development plans should identify these interconnected risks and options for their reduction, alongside measures aimed at improving personal preparedness plans so communities can learn to live with risk. (Authors: Wilkinson E., Lovell E., Carby, B., Barclay J. and Roberston R.)
- Climate Change Adaptation Planning in Latin America and Caribbean Cities – Castries, Saint Lucia. An assessment of climate hazards, adaptive capacity and vulnerability in the city of Castries, demonstrating the use of risk assessment in city planning in a Small Island State. (Authors: ICF GHK, in association with King’s College London and Grupo Laera)
- Management of Slope Stability in Communities (MoSSaiC) in Saint Lucia. Participatory approach to landslide risk management. (Authors: World Bank Latin America and Caribbean DRM Team and GFDRR)
- Coastal Infrastructure Management Plan – Aleipata Itupa I Lalo District. An example of participatory district-level planning that takes climate resilience into account. (Authors: Government of Samoa)
- “Ridge to Reef” Management Approaches: Addressing Interactions in Samoa’s Coastal Zone. Describes Samoa’s “whole of catchment” approach to integrating climate and disaster risk into spatial planning that extends from the upper watersheds to coral reefs. (Authors: Hay J.E. and Wedderbum S.)
- Climate Proofing: A Risk-based Approach to Adaptation. Describes methodology used in Cook Islands and Federated States of Micronesia to assess physical and economic risks of climate change. (Authors: Asian Development Bank)
- Getting on the Map: A Community’s Path to Better Services. Describes the use of interactive community mapping and OpenStreetMap to empower communities to make more informed decisions and request services. (Authors: World Bank Social Development and Governance Teams in collaboration with Open Development Technology Alliance)
- Practical Solutions for Adaptation in Land Use Planning, Water and Coastal Zones. Powerpoint presentation on the use of adaptation pathways to land and coastal use planning. (Authors: Jeuken A. et al. (Deltares)).
- Guidelines for Participatory Local Development Planning (in English and Portuguese). A simple and very clear step-by-step guideline on community-based planning integrating disaster risk. (Authors: Feuerhake E. and Spaliviero M., UN-Habitat)
- À l’interface entre terre et mer : la gestion du trait de côte. Strategic approaches for managing the shoreline (in French). (Authors: French Ministry of Environment, Energy, Sustainable Development and Sea)
- Expert views of climate change adaptation in the Maldives. Discussions of challenges and benefits encountered with Integrating Climate Change Risks into Resilient Island Planning in the Maldives. (Author: Sovacool)
Managed Population Retreat
- Managing Population Retreat from At-Risk Areas. A SISRI Knowledge Note summarizing good practices in participatory population retreat, highlighting examples from São Tomé and Príncipe and Samoa. (Authors: Koskinen-Lewis P., de Carvalho A., Dias C., Fernandos C., Diogo O., Taulealo L., Evalu F. and Simi N.)
- Guidance on Protecting People from Disaster and Environmental Change through Planned Relocation. Most recent international guidance on planned relocation as a result of disasters or climate change. (Authors: Brookings Institution, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, UN High Commissioner for Refugees)
- Migration from atolls as climate change adaptation: Current practices, barriers and options in Solomon Islands. Paper focusing on migration experiences in Ontong Java and Reef Islands (Solomon Islands). It identifies constraining factors to migration which, if addressed, could incentivize voluntary relocation. (Authors: Birk T. and Rasmussen K., Natural Resources Forum)
- Preventive Resettlement of Populations at Risk of Disasters, Examples from Latin America (in English and Spanish). Lessons learned and good practices from preventive relocation of populations at risk, based on Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala case studies. (Author: Elena Correa (ed.), Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), World Bank, Washington DC)
- Planned Relocations in the Context of Natural Disasters and Climate Change: A Review of Literature. Review of about 38 published case studies on both anticipatory and reactive population relocation. (Author: Brookings Institution and London School of Economics)
- Resettlement in the Wake of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines: A Strategy to Mitigate Risk or a Risky Strategy. Lessons learned from population relocation in the wake of typhoon Haiyan, highlighting the pitfalls of weak planning. (Author: Brookings Institution and-London School of Economics)
- Planned Relocations in the Context of Natural Disasters: The Case of Sri Lanka. Case study of relocation of 18 families following the Indian Ocean tsunami. (Authors: Vithanagamo R., Mohideen A., Jayatilaka D., Lakshman R. / Centre for Migration Research and Development)
- Planned Relocations in the Mekong Delta: A Successful Model for Climate Change Adaptation, A Cautionary Tale, or Both?. Case study of planned relocation in the Mekong Delta, based on a PhD thesis research, highlighting the challenges faced by relocated communities in terms of loss of short-term livelihoods. (Authors: Chun J., Brookings Institute and London School of Economics)
- Climate Change and Population Movement in Pacific Island Countries. Discussion of relocation options (proximate, distant, regional and international), and policy implication for Pacific Island countries. (Author: Campbell J.)
- Contested Territory. How, why and when communities are migrating and will migrate from small islands states? (Author: Green M., 2016)
Preparedness and Early Warning Systems
Modernization of hydromet services; early warning systems; standard operating procedures.
- Implementation of an Early Warning System for Incoming Storm Surge and Tide in the Republic of Mauritius. Describes the design of an EWS for coastal areas which integrates storm surge and cyclone forecasting. (Authors: Deltares, Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development, Disaster and Beach Management, Mauritius Meteorological Service, UNDP and Adaptation Fund)
- The Change: A Cartoon about Post-Disaster Reconstruction and Preparedness for Climate Change. An award-winning cartoon for awareness raising amongst communities. (Author: DIMSUR)
Financial and Social Protection
Catastrophe insurance; financial and social safety nets.
- Financial Protection against Natural Disasters – an Operational Framework for Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance. A flagship reference document describing the different financial instruments to manage disaster risks. (Authors: GFDRR and World Bank)
- Disaster Risk Financing & Insurance Program - Supporting countries to manage the cost of disaster and climate shocks. 4 pages to describe the areas of actions, the outcomes and the figures of the World Bank DRFI program. (Authors: World Bank Group and GFDRR)
- Disaster Risk Finance Across the Globe. This animated video tells the story of a young family living in a region impacted by natural disasters. It shows how Disaster Risk Finance initiatives help this family and other stakeholders across the globe. (Authors: GFDRR and World Bank)
- Disaster Risk Financing & Insurance in the disaster risk management framework. 2 page document presenting how DRFI integrates in the different pillar of Disaster risk Management. (Author: World Bank)
- Building Resilience through Social Protection. A SISRI Knowledge Note summarizing key principles for the use of social protection in risk reduction and disaster response, in the context of Small Island States. (Authors: Asha Williams and Francesca Lamanna; Nick Jones (ed.))
- Integrating Disaster Response and Climate Resilience in Social Protection Programs in the Pacific Island Countries. This paper discusses the potential role of social protection for disaster and climate risk reduction and management in Pacific Island Countries.. (Authors: Cecilia Valentina Costella and Oleksiy Ivaschenko, World Bank)
- Building Resilience to Disaster and Climate Change through Social Protection Toolkit. A comprehensive toolkit providing guidance on how to prepare social protection programs to respond to disasters and climate change. It includes examples of good practice and practical tips for implementation. (Author: World Bank)
- Tailoring Social Protection to Small Island Developing States: Lessons Learned from the Caribbean. Good practices and lessons from social protection programs in the Caribbean. (Authors: Asha Williams, Timothy Cheston, Aline Coudouel, and Ludovic Subran)
- ShockWaves: Managing the Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty. Flagship World Bank report on the impact of climate change on the poor, including recommendations for safety nets, and pro-poor policies. (Authors: Hallegatte, S., et al, World Bank)
- Natural Disasters: What is the Role for Social Safety Nets?. Paper emphasizing the role of safety nets in the management of natural hazard risks, both ex-ante (to prevent and reduce impact of disasters) and ex-post. (Authors: Pelham, L., Clay, E., and Braunholz, World Bank)
Resilient Reconstruction
Policy and planning for post-disaster reconstruction.