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Each year, on average, almost 250 million people are affected by ‘natural’ disasters. In a typical year between 1998 and 2007, 98 per cent of them suffered from climate-related disasters such as droughts and floods rather than, for example, devastating but relatively rare events such as earthquakes. According to new research for this report, by 2015 this could grow by more than 50 per cent to an average of over 375 million affected by climate-related disasters each year. Any such projection is not an exact science, but it is clear that substantially more people may be affected by disasters in the very near, not just distant, future, as climate change and environmental mismanagement create a proliferation of droughts, landslides, floods and other local disasters. And more people will be vulnerable to them because of their poverty and location. Some of these environmental changes will also increase the threat of new conflicts, which will mean more people displaced, and more need for humanitarian aid. One recent report estimated that 46 countries will face a ‘high risk of violent conflict’ when climate change exacerbates traditional security threats. Already, there is evidence that the number of conflicts is again on the rise,5 while the threat of long-running conflicts creating vast new humanitarian demands was painfully shown by the upsurge of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 2008. In short, by 2015, an unprecedented level of need for humanitarian assistance could overwhelm the world’s current humanitarian capacity. Already, many governments fail to cope with threats like storms, floods and earthquakes. They fail to act quickly or effectively enough in response to these events, or to take preventative action to reduce unnecessary deaths and suffering. Indeed, the very actions of some governments and their national elites place marginalised people at risk from disasters by discriminating against them, like those forced to live in flimsy slum housing so easily destroyed by floods and landslips. At the same time, international humanitarian assistance is often too slow or inappropriate, and the UN-led reforms since 2005 to improve it have only begun to make a difference.

This article reflects upon how gendered approaches to climate-change adaptation can be strengthened in the Pacific region. The article looks at what has been learnt in the region, surveys some examples of best practice in gender-responsive programming, identifies the challenges we face on our journey, and suggests future directions. It is a collaborative effort, comprising input from a number of agencies who have been proactive in the areas of gender, climate change, and disaster risk-reduction in the Pacific Region, including: the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement in the Pacific region; the UNDP Pacific Centre; and World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Fiji Country Programme.

The National Capacity Self Assessment Project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through UNDP is assisting stakeholders in Solomon Islands self asses their capacity to address global and environment issues and develop a plan of action to address priority capacity building needs. The project focuses on three international Conventions, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This thematic report focuses on the UNFCCC and is a follow up from an earlier stocktake report. The thematic assessment process is intended to identify climate change issues and a range of related convention requirements that are not adequately addressed, their underlying causes, the contributing factors, and the key barriers. The analysis leads to an assessment of the nature of the capacity needs and opportunities for capacity development. This report presents the outcomes of a comprehensive analysis of the stock take report and recommendations from a national consultation workshop in July 2006 that considered the Stock-take report, and establishes the root causes of the capacity gaps identified.

This is a report focusing on the capacity of Solomon Islands to meet its obligation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The report is part of a National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA) exercise that is being implemented through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with funding from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). The Department of Environment and Conservation who is also the National GEF Focal Point is the lead agency responsible for the oversight and on-ground implementation of the exercise. Overall the NCSA has the task to assess the local capacity to meet not only the obligations under Climate Change Convention but also the UN Conventions on Bio-diversity and Land Degradation.

Throughout Micronesia, marine ecosystems are under increasing pressure from large-scale and localized threats such as climate change, overharvesting of resources, and land-based sources of pollution. Recognizing the great dependence upon the natural resources of their islands, the leaders of Micronesia are committed to assisting communities in managing these resources for their continued use. One Micronesia-wide movement for addressing these critical threats is the establishment of protected areas networks. Well-managed protected areas create healthy reproductive populations of coral reef assemblages, more resilient to threats such as climate change, serving to replenish fish and corals at local and regional scales. In the past 3 years, the Conservation Society of Pohnpei, the Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization, the Yap Community Action Program, the Chuuk Conservation Society (CCS), the Micronesia Conservation Trust, and the Nature Conservancy have partnered with the communities, State and National governments of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to understand the current distribution, abundances, and status of marine ecosystems by conducting rapid ecological assessments (REAs) in the states of Pohnpei (2005), Kosrae (2006), Yap (2007) and Chuuk (2008). Chuuk State contains one of the largest lagoons in Micronesia, and 3 outer island groups comprised of 11 atolls and 3 single islands. A team of local resource managers and regional scientists conducted the Chuuk REA from 28 July to 21 August, 2008, encompassing a total of 69 sites in 21 days. A summary of the survey follows, while the complete report is available from CCS.

Throughout its history, Earth’s climate has varied, reflecting the complex interactions and dependencies of the solar, oceanic, terrestrial, atmospheric, and living components that make up planet Earth’s systems. For at least the last million years, our world has experienced cycles of warming and cooling that take approximately 100,000 years to complete. Over the course of each cycle, global average temperatures have fallen and then risen again by about 9°F (5°C), each time taking Earth into an ice age and then warming it again. This cycle is believed associated with regular changes in Earth’s orbit that alter the intensity of solar energy the planet receives. Earth’s climate has also been influenced on very long timescales by changes in ocean circulation that result from plate tectonic movements. Earth’s climate has changed abruptly at times, sometimes as a result of slower natural processes such as shifts in ocean circulation, sometimes due to sudden events such as massive volcanic eruptions. Species and ecosystems have either adapted to these past climate variations or perished.

Coral reefs are one of the most spectacular and valuable ecosystems on the planet — and one of the most threatened. Climate change, coastal development and tourism, destructive fishing, and other human activities are endangering their very existence. At the current rate of destruction, more than one-third of the world’s coral reefs will be destroyed within our lifetime. This will mean devastating losses in biological diversity, shoreline protection, income, food, and scientific discoveries. However bad the outlook may seem, there is still hope for coral reefs. With increased education comes an increased appreciation and understanding of the immense value of coral reefs. This has led to exciting initiatives and conservation projects in countries throughout the world. Coral reef protected areas are being established worldwide and are considered one of the best tools for reef protection.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program developed this report of MPAs managed by state and territory governments in conjunction with federal, state, territory, and commonwealth partners. The information included in the report was collected in partnership with the National Marine Managed Area (MMA) Inventory that was conducted by the National Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Center from 2001-2006. Inventory data was obtained through direct surveys with managers of coral reef MPAs and review of legal documents and management plans. This data is available in the Inventory of MMAs on the National MPA Center’s website at www.mpa.gov (National MPA Center 2006c). This report is based on data extracted from the inventory in July 2005. In the process of writing and reviewing this document, several of the jurisdictions revised and edited their MMA Inventory data.