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Fiji
Summary:
The climate of Fiji is generally categorized as an oceanic tropical climate in which the dry season is from May to October and rainy season from November to April. Climate change is expected to affect the country’s coastal resources by way of raising temperatures in the marine environment and through sea level rise. As well there may be impacts on infrastructure caused by a potential increase in the frequency and intensity of cyclones and other tropical storms, as the country is prone to El Nino events. During an El Nino- Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event, conditions drier and hotter than normal can be expected from June to August. During the November–April wet season Fiji is normally traversed by tropical cyclones as it lies directly in their normal path.
Located approximately 1,100 miles off of the northeast of New Zealand's north island, Fiji comprises more than 300 islands, and has a total land area of approximately 18 300 km2 and a population of about 773 000 (1996 estimate). The largest island is Viti Levu (10 429 km2), which covers 57% of the total area, and Vanua Levu covers 5 556 km2. Fiji is one of the most economically developed countries in the Pacific Island realm due to abundance of forest, mineral and marine resources. Viti Levu is the center of politics and economy of Fiji, having Suva (the capital), Nadi (the center of tourism) and farming land for sugarcane as the major crop. Over 90% of the population, both rural and urban, can be considered coastal dwellers, where the vast majority of services, infrastructure, agricultural production and social centres are located.
Fiji has identified four main sectors in which adaptation strategies need to be assessed, planned and carried out:
1. Coastal resources. Adaptation needs are identified as being:
- An improved understanding of the coastal system, examination and evaluation of coastal protection options;
- Land use policies that encourage settlement away from low-lying coastal areas;
- Mangrove and reef protection, including exploration of the use of artificial reefs to enhance coastal protection; alternative sources of construction aggregate (not coral); reducing use and cutting of mangrove areas; and mangrove rehabilitation;
- Controls on pollution from residential, tourism, commercial and industrial areas; and
- Water-catchment management and soil-conservation measures to reduce erosion and sedimentation.
2. Freshwater Resources. Needs in this sector have been identified as including:
- Flood Control–Construction of diversion channels, weirs, cut-off channels, retarding basins and dams; and river-improvement activities such as channel widening, dyke construction or river-bed excavation.
- Drought alleviation–Management of water resources; water legislation; development of alternative water resources such as groundwater and the use of roof catchments; and consumer charges for water use.
- Catchment Management–Reforestation, land-use controls, protection of wetlands and soil conservation; reducing flooddamage potential by regulating development on flood plains and promoting flood-proof building design; community level activities to improve awareness of water conservation and emergency response; and institutional development such as the creation of catchment and water authorities would help build capacity to improve the management of water resources.
3. Agriculture. Adaptation needs identified include:
- Researching flexible farming systems that are tolerant to climatic variability, development of sustainable production systems, and melding of traditional and modern systems.
- Establishment of an Agricultural Diversification Scheme (under the Commodity Development Framework).
- Cessation of sugarcane production of marginal sloping lands and coastal lands, and intensified irrigation of sugar cane production on better lands.
- Strengthening of land use planning in order to identify most suitable areas for adaptation commercial and subsistence based crops.
- Dengue Fever control: encourage prevention, improve quarantine, epidemic preparedness response and implement proper policies.
- Diarrheal Disease: improve reliability, safety and sanitation of water, refrigeration practices, emergency strategies and health care access.
B. National Level Policies and Strategic Documents
The Fiji Department of the Environment’s First National Communication under the Framework Convention on Climate Change, released in 2005, outlines the climate change situation for Fiji and details adaptation measures for the country. Building on this effort, Fiji integrated climate change considerations into its Strategic Development Plan (2007–2011). This plan is an all-encompassing document that outlines the development strategy for the country in terms of environment, economy, human health, tourism, marine resources and many other areas. Climate change adaptation and mitigation is a theme found throughout the document and as its own separate discussion piece. In 2010, the country re-established its National Climate Change Country Team, which was given responsibility for preparation of a Climate Change Policy (Fiji, n.d). Linked to this initiative are ongoing efforts to establish a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. It is expected that this strategy will support the integration of adaptation into core functional activities, include an action plans (Hay, 2011).
Publication:
Dohan, Rosemary; Hove, Hilary; EcheverrÃa, Daniella; Hammill, Anne, Parry, Jo-Ellen. (2011) “Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action: The Pacific.” Adaptation Partnership/International Institute for Sustainable Development, pp.59-70.
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