Strengthening the Resilience of the Cook Islands to Climate Change

Summary

The Cook Islands is subject to highly destructive cyclones, intense rainfall events, and devastating droughts. The isolated populations in the Pa Enua (sister islands to the capital island of Rarotonga) are especially vulnerable to the anticipated changes in climate, including increased frequency and intensity of rainfall and tropical storms; rising and extreme sea levels and changing wind patterns; and hotter, drier weather.

The objective of this project is to strengthen the ability of all Cook Island communities, and the public service, to make informed decisions and manage anticipated climate change driven pressures (including extreme events) in a pro-active, integrated and strategic manner.

For updates on UNDP Early Warning Systems and Climate Resilient Development projects, click here.

Project Components

The programme "Strengthening the Resilience of our Islands and our Communities to Climate Change (SRIC - CC)" seeks to strengthen the ability of all Cook Island communities, and the public service, to make informed decisions and manage anticipated climate change driven pressures (including extreme events) in a pro- active, integrated and strategic manner. In achieving this objective, the programme will support, at the national, sectoral, and island levels, implementation of the Cook Islands' new National Adaptation Plan for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation.

The programme has a 3-pronged approach, ultimately focusing on the implementation of on-the ground adaptation and disaster risk reduction measures at the community level in the Pa Enua. This will be integrated with sustainable island capacity building and wider development processes, and supported through enhanced national policy, institutional and knowledge management capacities.

Through implementation of integrated and climate-resilient island development plans targeting all 11 inhabited island of the Pa Enua, and at least 2000 households and over 100 enterprises in the Pa Enua, it aims at:

National level - strengthening policy and institutional capacity and public awareness on climate change and disaster risk reduction, through conducting and updating climate risk assessments, enhancing climate early warning systems tailored to vulnerable sectors, training policy makers and technicians in the relevant government departments;
Pa Enua - increasing the adaptive capacity of households and businesses and affected sectors, such as agriculture, water supply, tourism, health, fisheries, coastal management, and enhancing the adaptive capacity of local communities through engagement in island level CCA-DRM planning process linked with Island Development Plans and the National Joint Action Plan, and targeted training and awareness-raising activities using different media;
Pa Enua - strengthening livelihoods through diversifying food production, processing and related subsistence and income-earning activities amongst local communities, improving protection of household and business assets, reducing the risks of disease and death associated with climate-related extreme events, and enhancing the resilience of terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems on which the communities, businesses and sectors depend.

As of June 2012, this project has been funded for the total requested amount of $5,381,600.

Expected Outputs

Component 1: Strengthening/Implementing climate change adaptation (CCCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) at national level
National staff trained to improve delivery of CCA and DRM initiatives (Output 1.1) in order to integrate CCA and DRM into policies, related instruments, and work programmes (Output 1.2), including the development of fully operational climate early warning and information systems (Output 1.3).

Component 2: Strengthening capacities for CCA and DRR in the Pa Enua
Harmonize CCA and DRR actions with island development plans (Output 2.1) and train key island stakeholders for planning and undertaking these initiatives (Output 2.2).

Component 3: Implementing CCA and DRR measures in the Pa Enua
Distribute small grants to all 11 Pa Enua and communities to implement CCA and DRR measures at island level (Output 3.1). Implement climate-resilient agricultural and fisheries practices in at least 5 islands (Output 3.2); enhance water capture/storage/management in at least 7 islands (Output 3.3); enhance coastal protection in at least 3 islands (Output 3.4); improve resilience of tourism enterprises in at least 3 islands (Output 3.5); introduce health support and vector-borne disease control techniques in at least 5 islands (Output 3.6); and implement infrastructure projects(Output 3.7).

Component 4: Climate change adaptation knowledge management
Share lessons learned and best practices with local and international communities through case studies, media, and school programmes and curricula.

As detailed in the Adaptation Fund Proposal - Cook Islands - resubmission Oct 2011