Coastal Management Adaptation to Climate Change using Ecosystem-based Adaptation Strategies (Samoa Component)

Abstract

Samoa consists of four main inhabited islands (Upolu, Savai'i, Manono and Apolima) and six smaller uninhabited islands (Figure 1). The islands lie between 13°S- 14°S and 170°W-173°W and have a total land area of approximately 2934 km2 (Samoa's First National Communication under the UNFCCC, 2000) and shoreline length of 573 km (MNREM 2005). Its population of over 195,000 (CIA 2013) lives primarily in coastal villages, and fishing and agriculture support subsistence living in addition to providing income through sales at open-air markets. The majority of the country's income comes from overseas remittances, international development aid, tourism, and agricultural exports; the latter two income sources are very vulnerable to the devastating impacts of cyclones and other strong storms (CIA 2013).