Pacific Regional Environment & Vulnerability
Snapshot
The Pacific is a region of vast oceans and small islands. The natural environment and resources of the region are varied and there is a diversity of cultures, languages and traditional practices.
The Pacific region is particularly vulnerable to biodiversity loss, non-sustainable resource use, climate change, natural disasters, and waste proliferation.
Many communities in the region rely on local natural resources for their day-to-day livelihoods, and many of these resources are traditionally owned and managed. Protecting the environment and sustaining the well-being and livelihoods of people are therefore intertwined and are best achieved if pursued together.
The Pacific Regional Environment and Vulnerability Programme currently allocates NZ$4 million a year to for regional programmes designed to protect and enhance the Pacific region's natural resource base for sustainable development and poverty elimination. $2.875 million is allocated to the two key environmental agencies in the region - the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). A further NZ$2.5m is allocated to preparing for, and responding to, natural disasters.
NZAID priorities
NZAID's priorities are driven by the issues and needs expressed by communities in the region.
The Pacific Regional Environment and Vulnerability Programme is currently divided into the following main components:
- Enhancing the capacity of communities to manage their environment, through co-funding support to the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme.
- Supporting the establishment and operation of regional partnerships for environment and development (the World Summit on Sustainable Development Type II partnerships).
- Assisting Pacific countries and communities to respond to the world's changing climate.
- Support to SOPAC and SPREP to assist Pacific Island countries and territories to sustainably manage island and ocean natural resources.
- Support for regional work to better prepare for, and respond to, natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
In 2006 NZAID released its Environment Policy which will guide the future structure and focus of the agency's Pacific Regional Environment programme. A new programme strategy - which will put the policy into action through to 2015 - is expected to be finalised in mid 2007.
Community level environmental management
The Pacific Regional Environment and Vulnerability Programme is focussed on supporting regional programmes designed to protect and enhance the Pacific region's natural resource base for sustainable development and poverty elimination. This includes NZ$4 million a year allocated to specific programmes in areas such as water, biodiversity, and climate change adaptation. A further $2.875 million is allocated to the two key environmental agencies in the region - the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). NZ$2.5m is allocated to preparing for, and responding to, natural disasters.
The aim of the Small Grants Programme is to help secure global environmental benefits through environmental protection, poverty reduction, and community empowerment. Specifically, the SGP supports the activities of non-governmental and community based organisations in developing countries, with funding decisions made by national committees made up of government, NGO, civil society, and community representatives.
The objective of NZAID's partnership with GEF SGP is to provide cost effective support for community development initiatives promoting environmental protection, poverty elimination, and sustainable livelihoods, and to strengthen the capacity of those organisations undertaking these initiatives.
Under the partnership, NZAID resources align with existing SGP systems, focal areas, and processes wherever possible. An exception is that NZAID's contribution to each SGP country programme will also be eligible to government agencies (national, provincial, and local) as well as non-government and community based organisations.
NZAID will provide separate support to national committees through extra human, financial, and training assistance. The partnership is managed primarily through twice-yearly UNDP GEF - NZAID Partnership Steering Committee meetings. The partnership systems are expected to be fully established by late 2006.
The SGP operates in Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands, and the Cook Islands. Programmes are expected to be established in Niue, Tokelau, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga, Nauru, and Solomon Islands over the coming year.
Enquires from the Pacific on the GEF SGP - NZAID Pacific Environment Fund should be directed to the relevant National Contact Point in the first instance, for contact details refer to the relevant link below.
It is also possible to contact NZAID's Regional Coordinator for the SGP, Leanne Harrison, at: leanne@trcnz.com
Related link
Regional partnerships for environment and development (the World Summit on Sustainable Development Type II partnerships).
NZAID supports the development and implementation of "Type II" partnership initiatives in the Pacific. The Type II concept was established at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002.
The partnerships provide for better collaboration between national, regional and international stakeholders in the implementation of development activities. These partnerships are being developed and facilitated by Pacific regional agencies on behalf of their member countries. They aim to provide a single strategy as a mechanism for coordinating activities so that lessons can be shared and gaps identified. They also allow alignment of donor support in the interests of all members.
Current NZAID support to regional partnerships includes water and sanitation (coordinated by SOPAC), mainstreaming conservation and biodiversity protection (coordinated by SPREP), and invasive species management (coordinated by the Pacific Invasives Initiative).
NZAID has also supported, through SPREP, the development of new regional strategies for climate change and waste management.
Related link
Climate change
The Pacific is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impacts of global climate change. These impacts are likely to pose significant challenges to sustainable development and will affect the region's environment, society and economy.
In 2001, the New Zealand Government made a voluntary commitment to spend NZ$5 million per annum to support climate change activities in developing countries from 2005. Of this, $1.5 million per annum has been allocated to NZAID's Pacific Regional Environment programme 2005-2007.
The purpose of NZAID support is to assist Pacific countries and communities to respond to the world's changing climate and to reduce vulnerability to climate change. Interim guidelines have been developed and are available from NZAID on request. The guidelines will determine funding decisions within this allocation until the new programme strategy is finalised.
SOPAC
New Zealand is a member of the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), based in Suva. SOPAC provides services to promote sustainable development in Pacific Island member countries through three programmes: Ocean and Islands; Community Lifelines; and Community Risk.
SOPAC's strategic programme framework is approved by the SOPAC Governing Council. The Council comprises 17 Pacific Island countries which meet annually to discuss regional programme priorities.
In 2004/05, NZAID signed a three year funding arrangement with SOPAC, with an increased level of funding for programme support of NZ$4.64 million over three years. This multi-year arrangement provides certainty of funding, as well as flexibility for delivery within SOPAC's strategic programme framework as approved by the Council.
Related link
SPREP
New Zealand is a member of the inter-governmental Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) based in Apia. SPREP's mandate is to promote cooperation in the Pacific Islands region. Its main objectives are to provide assistance for the protection and improvement of the environment and to ensure sustainable development for present and future generations. SPREP fulfils this through the delivery of two strategic programmes: Island Ecosystems and Pacific Futures.
NZAID provides approximately NZ$1.7 million per annum to SPREP for programme funding and also supports a range of SPREP's project activities.
Emergency Management and Disaster Response in the Pacific
NZAID responds to the immediate humanitarian needs after disasters and supports and promotes longer-term disaster management, preparedness and risk mitigation in Pacific communities.
The aim in providing assistance following a disaster is to provide immediate humanitarian needs and to help empower communities to rebuild their lives. Once a request for immediate assistance has been received from the government of the country affected, NZAID is able to assist by funding to partner-governments or through NGOs. Approved funds can also be used to purchase relief supplies or access technical assistance.
NZAID is committed to supporting disaster risk reduction, mitigation and preparedness, both regionally and through bilateral programmes. For example NZAID supports the Framework for Action 2005-2015 Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, which was endorsed by Forum Leaders in 2005. This identifies six themes for building resilience, including governance, public awareness, hazard analysis, preparedness and mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and management into national development planning, policies and programmes.
NZAID also supports a range of reduction, mitigation and preparedness initiatives across the Pacific. This includes support to the regional Pacific office of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and developing an early-warning system in Vanuatu for volcanoes and earthquakes.
NZAID also has multi-year funding arrangements with SOPAC; the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM); the NZ Meteorological Service (weather forecasting, cyclone tracking and some risk mitigation work in PICTs); and Radio NZ International (24/7 radio coverage in the event of a natural disaster).
NZAID on the ground
Case Study One: Managing the urban water supply in the Pacific
NZAID supports activities under the regional Type II partnership on water and sanitation, coordinated by SOPAC. Under the partnership, many Pacific countries have identified environmental pressure caused by urban water supply systems as a priority concern. Many countries have problems with losing more water through leakage and wastage than is able to be delivered to the tap. This in turn can put unnecessary pressure on limited local water supplies and natural ecosystems.
With NZAID support of NZ$740,000 over three years, SOPAC and the regional Type II partners are helping Pacific countries to develop urban water management plans, and to repair and maintain reticulation systems over the long-term.
Case Study Two: Monitoring volcanoes in Vanuatu
Vanuatu has some of the most active and potentially dangerous volcanoes in the Southwest Pacific. Many subsistence communities with few resources and high levels of economic and social vulnerability have been severely affected by eruptions over the years. The growth in the size of these communities, coupled with the constant risk of volcanic and seismic activity, and the almost complete absence of any monitoring and warning system, result in a particularly high level of vulnerability.
In late 2006, NZAID funded a proposal from New Zealand Geological and Nuclear Science (GNS) and Massey University – working closely with the Vanuatu Government and relevant agencies – to identify what might be needed for a modern and reliable volcano-seismic monitoring system.
Once established, it is anticipated that a system will: be able to provide:
- accurate and timely information to enable an appropriate public response to crises
- enable a more coordinated public response to crises
- contribute to other risk-management practices in the country
- contribute to regional hazard monitoring networks
- lead to a better knowledge of volcanic hazards
- provide a level of confidence and stability for affected rural communities.
NZAID is confident that this proposal represents a significant step towards defining the most appropriate, efficient and cost-effective long-term volcano seismic warning and monitoring system for Vanuatu.
Page Last Reviewed: 23 June, 2008