Vanuatu: Increasing Resilience to Climate Change and Natural Hazards

Context and Objectives 
The objective of this project was to promote the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into development, and to build on successful pilots and programs. 

The project built on activities of the EU Global Climate Change Alliance.

Main Activities and results

The main results per component are listed below:

Institutional Strengthening for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management: 

• Two Provincial Disaster Centers in Tanna and Sola have been constructed and the office equipment and furniture has been installed and internet connection and telephone lines have been established.
• The review of the National Disaster Act has been completed, and is going in 2018 before the Parliament for endorsement
• A National Disaster Management Office strategic plan has been completed and the Public Service Commission has approved the creation of a new Department of Climate Change which will support the Provincial Disaster Officers in Sola and Isangle
• The sheds for 8 seismic stations which provide real-time seismic data were constructed.

Increasing Community Resilience: 

• Two operational manuals were developed, providing procedures for climate change adaptation and disaster risk management projects.
• The Government started to implement 45 micro-projects in the Tanna Islands and Shepherds that were affected by Tropical Cyclone Pam, and for 20 communities in Ambae and Ambrym affected by a recent volcano eruption.

Promoting of improved technologies for food crop production and resilience to climate change

• Fourteen demonstration plots of selected varieties of resilient crops have been established on Tanna to help multiply improved crops. Distribution of planting materials from these plots has begun. A recording and monitoring system for the distribution of the plant materials has been developed and shared with the communities.
• The project improved rural water supply, and has, amongst others, repaired six water systems and completed water inventories for the Torba and Penama provinces.

Partnerships and Coordination

The EU delegation responsible for the project based in Solomon Islands was invited to join a number of supervision missions and participated in the project mid-term review and the wrap up meeting. 

The project team continuously briefed key stakeholder partners such as MFAT and DFAT on the progress of the project and to ensure synergies and avoiding duplications. A consortium of local NGOs was hired to help with the identification of micro-projects as well as baseline surveys on hazards.