3 August 2023, Nadi, Fiji. Implementing countries for the European Union Intra-ACP GCCA+ Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience Building (PACRES) project have spotlighted their challenges and recommendations for best practice at the PACRES Lessons Learned workshop, following the project’s fourth and final Steering Committee Meeting in Nadi, Fiji.
Held at the Novotel Hotel, representatives from Tuvalu and communities in Fiji took centre stage to share their experiences and lessons learned in climate action and strengthening capacities to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Fostering partnerships between governments, development partners and communities was highlighted as a key point. Complementing these partnerships is the need for communities to be empowered to take ownership of their natural resources and related activities.
Tavua village in Fiji has exemplified leadership in building a resilient community through self-reliance by developing Communities of Practice (CoP). Livelihood interventions and capacity building activities in disaster resilience have been delivered through the CoP. A key activity supported by PACRES is the introduction of the 72-hour kit, a preparation tool for communities to utilise in the hours after a disaster. The kit contains a torch, transistor radio, whistle and first aid box. Additionally, communities may include food, water and other necessities required after disaster impact. Due to its location, Tavua is highly vulnerable to flooding and its communities largely see the benefit of having the tool for disaster preparedness.
Photo: SPC
Mr Ratu Ovini, representative of the Tavua community shared on the experience of Tavua and highlighted the importance of partnerships. “We have expanded the CoP to five more communities in Tavua, which have not been funded by PACRES. Our communities have utilised their livelihoods interventions capacity building activities to fund the expansion to other communities”.
He also offered some words of advice to the meeting and said, “when you talk about resilience, you must practice what you speak. This is exactly what we have done in Tavua, we have banded together to build our resilience for our people”. He further expressed his gratitude to the PACRES project and the Pacific community (SPC) for the assistance given to Tavua in their resilience building activities.
Access to information and internet connectivity was also highlighted as a challenge among Pacific islands. Mr Penivao Lonesi, Data and Information Officer for the Climate Change Department in Tuvalu shared on their experience. He said, “internet connectivity is the main issue we face, at present we are doing the best with what we have, but we hope in future this can be improved”. Mr Lonesi also spotlighted the challenges in accessing information, “we have multiple layers of approval in Tuvalu and this can affect our work”. PACRES supports the Tuvalu Climate Change Portal, hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). SPREP also assists the development of climate change and disaster resilience information and knowledge management products to enhance community awareness to be hosted on the Portal.
The PACRES project works to improve information sharing and develop national capacity to address climate change climate change and build disaster resilience.
The Lessons Learned Meeting provides an avenue for regional organisations and Pacific ACP countries to share information, results and knowledge about climate action and strengthen their capacity to intervene to mitigate and/or adapt to climate change.
ABOUT PACRES
PACRES aims to improve regional, national adaptation and mitigation solutions to climate change concerns faced in 15 Pacific ACP countries. The 15 Pacific ACP countries are: Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The €12.18 million PACRES is funded primarily by the European Union (EU) with targeted support from Monaco and the Swiss Confederation and is delivered jointly by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programmme (SPREP), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the Pacific Community (SPC) and the University of the South Pacific (USP).