Enhancing land management to insure coastal climate change resilience in Vanuatu
Published on by Bapon Shm Fakhruddin, Natural Hazards/DRR Specialist at Tonkin & Taylor in Academic
Vanuatu is highly vulnerable to climate change related risks. The location, geology, and climate put Vanuatu at risk of disaster regardless of climate change. However, given the potential impacts of climate change the existing vulnerabilities will enhanced.
The current projections for climate change in Vanuatu in are outlined below. In relation to coastal and marine ecosystems that changes are projected to include:
- Increase in mean air temperature (0.4-1 degree Celsius by 2030),
- Increase in sea level (5-17cm by 2030),
- Increase in the intensity of the wet and dry seasons
- Increase in soil erosion due to changing rainfall events
- Less frequent, but more intense cyclones (increased wind speed and precipitation)
The focus of the these activities will be to build village level, community level and area level Coastal Community CC Adaption Plans to enhance resilience of coastal ecosystems to climate change.
The plan will incorporate a land management plan. An important aspect of coastal ecosystem management is sustainable land management, because the health of both environments are directly linked on many levels. To combat the land management vulnerabilities impacting coastal communities conservation areas will be established, This project aims to reduce the sediment generation through agricultural and forestry education outreach to farmers, women and youth by advisors. The project will also provide resources for erosion reduction measures and climate change resistant crops for the educators to disseminate to the communities.
Planning will also engage communities in creating a water plan for managing the local water resources and water infrastructure. These plans will entail plans for water resource protection from livestock, climate proofing of water infrastructure and community water resources, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) training for the communities.
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Taxonomy
- Integrated Water Management
- Climate Change
- Water Management