ALM UNDP

 

Samoa’s main concerns related to climate change are the potential implications of a change in the frequency and/or intensity of extreme weather events, coastal erosion and  sea level rise.  The islands are presently exposed to severe tropical cyclones that typically occur between December and February (NCCCT, 1999); Cyclone Ofa (1990) and Cyclone Val (1991), for example, caused massive damage to Samoa’s infrastructure, natural vegetation, crops and plantations (NMFA et al., 2010), resulting in economic costs equivalent to about three times the country’s Gross National Product (NCCCT, 1999). These vulnerabilities in part reflect the fact that about 70 per cent the country’s infrastructure and human settlements are located close to its coastline. Long dry periods associated with the El Nino Southern Oscillation are also a concern (NCCCT, 1999). 

 

In its Initial National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Samoa examined five primary areas of vulnerability to climate change: agriculture,  human health, biodiversity,  coastal environments  and  water. The agricultural sector, it was noted, might have to adapt to greater variability in weather and soil conditions, as well as a possible increase in pests and disease. Human health was identified as a concern because of the possible (but not understood) impact of climate change on several common fatal vector- and water-borne diseases such as dengue fever, gastroenteritis and diarrhea. Biodiversity was an additional concern as islanders have long depended on natural resources to support their livelihood activities. As biodiversity is likely to be affected by extreme weather events and human activities, Samoa expressed a desire for more research to be undertaken on how it can prepare to adapt to extreme weather events and a possible increase in pests/disease.  Coastal environments, in addition to be  potentially being exposed to changes in the pattern of extreme weather events, could also experience greater erosion, the retreat of beaches and marshlands, and flooding of low-lying areas due to sea level rise. Currently, there is an abundance of water resources for Samoans, but the sector is vulnerable to deforestation, droughts and turbidity of surface waters. As temperatures rise, adaptation needs in the water sector were expected to become more important (NCCCT, 1999). 

 

More recently,  Samoa’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) identifies  urgent and immediate needs with respect to adaptation, with its top three being:

 

Relative to other Pacific Island countries, a very high number of climate change adaptation projects—national, regional and global—are presently underway in Samoa.  Most of these projects focus on forestry and agriculture,  but also address coastal zone management, human health, meteorological capacity, infrastructure, water and policy and planning. There are a variety of funding agencies active in the country, with the most common being the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank and the governments of Australia and Germany. Samoa also has received funding for two projects through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) that address priority actions identified in its NAPA.