DISASTER REDUCTION PROGRAMME

October 2014 - September 2015 Snapshots DISASTER REDUCTION PROGRAMME Snapshot 87 October 2014 - September 2015 IN THIS ISSUE Welcome to new staff... 2 SPC supports responses to TC Pam in Vanuatu... 3 Federated States of Micronesia reviews management lessons from typhoons disaster risk...4 New Pacific fire reduction strategy developed at the Pacific Island Fire and Emergency Service Association Meeting...5 Pacific Islands at the World Conference for DRR in Japan... 6 New tools to increase resilience of Pacific Island countries to natural disasters... 7 Palau Develops Pool of Post-Disaster Needs Assessors... 8 Broadcasters Climate and Disaster Resilience Plan project... 8 2015 Climate Change Summit: Building resilience through genuine partnerships...10 Pacific Resilience Program (PREP)... 11 46 th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting... 12 Upcoming Events...12 Secretariat of the Pacific Community's (SPC) Geoscience Division through the Disaster Reduction Programme is committed to working with officials and communities around the Pacific to strengthen the ability of countries to protect people as much as possible from the impact of natural and manmade disasters. 1

Snapshot 87 From the Disaster Reduction Programme From a disaster risk management perspective, 2015 has been full with multiple cyclones impacting the North Pacific Islands as well as the category five tropical cyclone Pam s devastating the Pacific, particularly Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Tuvalu. Internally it has been busy, as well with the Disaster Reduction Programme s former manager, Mosese Sikovou transferring out of the Geoscience Division in December 2014. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) greatly appreciates the dedication and support of Mosese over his eight years and we wish him every success in the future. From 28 September, the leadership of Disaster Reduction Programme passed to Mr Paul Taylor, the new Chief Geohazard Scientist and head of the programme. Please make him welcome. We would like to thank Paula Holland for her strong contributions in managing the team in the interim. This is our last Snapshots edition, as we as an organisation move forward with new communication processes. This publication provides a brief snapshot of some of the work undertaken by the Disaster Reduction Programme for the year to date. Thank you to our readers over the years. Since the first Snapshots edition in 2002, we hope that this update has helped you stay up to date and connected with the SPC Disaster Reduction Programme. Welcome to new staff The SPC Disaster Reduction Programme welcomes, Paul Taylor, as the new Chief Geohazards Scientist and head of the programme. He brings a wealth of geological, hazards and general scientific experience. Over the years he has been involved in numerous hazard assessments and related activities throughout the region. He has worked with SOPAC (now GSD) since the early-1990s and worked very closely with the forerunner of the SPC s Disaster Reduction Programme when it was first established within SOPAC. Over the years Paul has developed a very strong affinity to many countries in the Pacific establishing many work and personal relationship in a number of the Pacific Island countries. Sylvie Goyet has been appointed to the position of SPC Director, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change based in Noumea, New Caledonia. Sylvie comes with 20-years of experience in environmental programme development and implementation, with special expertise in coastal and marine issues, and a general background in management and strategic planning. Sylvie s main duties will be coordinating the broad portfolio of projects that SPC is carrying out in the area of climate change and incorporating the concept of environmental sustainability into all of SPC s work. The position is funded by the Government of France. Lisa Kingsbery will be joining the European Union funded, ACP-EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific project as the new Communications Officer. She has worked in Fiji for 2 years at Save the Children and was a reporter and radio presenter with ABC in Australia prior to moving to Fiji. 2 2

October 2014 - September 2015 SPC supports responses to TC Pam in Vanuatu SPC has provided technical support and advice to Vanuatu in response to TC Pam from a number of SPC divisions. Below is a snapshot of some of the support provided by the Disaster Reduction Programme of the SPC Geoscience Division. Damage Assessment A SPC Technical Assessment Team collected a range of information in response to the impact of TC Pam in Vanuatu in April 2015, which was not only important for the Post Disaster Needs Assessment directed by the Vanuatu Government but also for medium and longer term coastal management initiatives. The data collected included damage to infrastructure and buildings, coastal inundation and three dimensional shoreline change. The team was able to conduct mapping surveys of affected areas, including 10 villages in Northeast Efate and seven villages and settlements in Southeast Tanna. The data has been analysed and shared progressively with the Vanuatu Government and other partners involved in the post-disaster assessment. Two drones complemented the damage assessment with satellite image data from Digital Globe and enabled surveys of areas for which no cloudfree space born image data were available. The SPC team also was equipped with surveygrade GPS employed for ground control points in centimetre precision, which is important for calibrating data collected from the drones. Impacted house in Vanuatu Daily Updates by the Pacific Disaster Net SPC staff flying the drone During the wake of TC Pam, the Pacific Disaster Net, the Pacific s largest and most comprehensive information management resource on disaster risk reduction and national sustainable development, provided daily email updates. The portal was updated daily by a dedicated team on behalf of an international partnership initiative. The Pacific Disaster Net portal was developed with support from partners, such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the UN Development Programme Pacific Centre (UNDP PC), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). It is part of a comprehensive response by SPC and its partners designed to support Pacific Community members impacted by tropical cyclone Pam. Sereima Kalouniviti from SPC supports the Pacific Disaster Net 3

Snapshot 87 Lessons Learnt Workshop One hundred days after TC Pam, the Government of Vanuatu (Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office), hosted a Lessons Learnt workshop in Port Vila on 24 to 25 June 2015 to inform the development and implementation of improved procedures for disaster management in Vanuatu. A number of recommendations were developed from this workshop in relation to information management and assessments; logistics; gender and protection; evacuation centres; early warning systems and communications; and provincial-level response and co-ordination. The workshop was funded by the European Union as part of the ACP-EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific project, implemented by SPC, and involved representatives of the Government of Vanuatu, SPC, civil society organisations, faith-based groups, nongovernmental organisations, the European Union, United Nations agencies, regional organisations and the private sector. The workshop provided partners with the opportunity to discuss the challenges faced during the response to TC Pam, highlighting areas of strength that can be built upon and help to develop practical solutions to include in work plans to support effective future disaster response. Participants at the workshop Federated States of Micronesia reviews management lessons from typhoons disaster risk The Second Federated States of Micronesia Disaster Risk Management Platform was held between the 8 and 12 of June 2015 where a review of disaster response was undertaken. The Platform was funded by the European Union, as part of the ACP EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific Project, implemented by SPC. The forum was led by the respective state disaster coordinating officers, and assisted by staff of the Weather Service Office and Red Cross Representatives. The review involved representatives from the four states of FSM and partners, including SPC and the European Union. Yap State Governor Hon Tony Ganangyan delivering his key note address In April this year, Typhoon Maysak severely impacted Chuuk and the outer islands of Yap. This was followed by Typhoon Noul, which hit the main island of Yap. Typhoon Dolphin also caused heavy damage on Kosrae and Pohnpei in May. Representatives of women s associations and associations for persons with disabilities were part of the programme, which aimed to capture a holistic view of how the typhoons impacted particularly vulnerable groups. The unique challenges faced by persons with disabilities during disasters include deaf people not hearing warning alerts, and blind people and the infirm that require assistance to respond to a rapidly developing emergency. 4

October 2014 - September 2015 New Pacific fire reduction strategy developed at the Pacific Islands Fire and Emergency Service Association meeting funded ACP-EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific project, implemented by SPC. Key outcomes from the meeting included: Pacific Fire Chiefs review a Country Fire Service fire truck as part of the Pacific fire truck concept discussions. A new Pacific fire reduction strategy will provide a framework for Fire & Emergency Services as a guide to provisioning of services such as Community Fire Safety and Fire Investigation & Analysis (FIA) across the Pacific. The strategy is one of the outcomes of the 10th Pacific Islands Fire and Emergency Service Association (PIFESA) Annual General Meeting held on 31st August 2015 at the State Headquarters of the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service in central Adelaide. The strategy was endorsed by the PIFESA and this now paves the way forward for adaptation to country specific interventions. In this regard, the Samoa Fire & Emergency Services Authority (SFESA) will lead this development supported by SPC and the Samoa Disaster Management Office (DMO) says the Anthony Blake, PIEMA Officer from SPC. Fire Chiefs and their Deputies from 11 Pacific Island countries attended the forum which was made possible through funding from the European Union Endorsement of a Pacific Fire Reduction Strategy. Progress on the establishment of new partnership/twinning arrangements for Kiribati, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Timor Leste. Reports from member nations on their achievements and how their partnership arrangements have been assisting each other. Workshop on introducing a regional approach to structural and life safety reform in to member nations. Establishment of a working group to progress the development of a Pacific fire appliance. Inspection of a range of firefighting vehicles from South Australia Metropolitan Fire Service and Country Fire Service (CFS). This forum is held annually alongside the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) conference and trade display which was also held the same week between the 1 3 September at the Adelaide Convention Centre attracting over 1500 national and international delegates. PIFESA represents Pacific Island fire and emergency services that all have long standing relationships with Australian and New Zealand fire and emergency services. Pacific Island Fire Chiefs and AFAC Liaison Officers attending the 2015 PIFESA Annual Norense Meeting Iyahen, Savita Chand, and David Abbott 5

Snapshot 87 Pacific Islands at the World Conference for DRR in Japan There was strong representation of the Pacific Islands at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai Japan, with over seventy active participants from thirteen Pacific Island countries and territories which included three heads of State, one Deputy Head of Government and eight Ministers. H.E President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, speaking at the Pacific Island Side Event The regional efforts on integrating climate change and disaster risk management were featured in the Pacific Islands Side Event Building Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change in the Pacific for Sustainable Development, organised by the SPC, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). The event was sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The development of an integrated strategy that brings climate change and disaster risk management together under a regional framework in the context of sustainable development was showcased. The conference resulted in the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. It is the outcome of stakeholder consultations initiated in March 2012 and inter-governmental negotiations from July 2014 to March 2015, supported by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) at the request of the UN General Assembly. The Sendai Framework is the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. The Pacific Disaster Resilience Meeting hosted by UNISDR will be held in Suva, Fiji on the 26 and 27 of October with a focus on the Sendai Framework in a regional context. In particular, indicators for the Sendai Framework will be discussed highlighting the work of Fiji who has been selected as one of the ten countries to conduct pilot studies to feed into the international process to finalise indicators. To register for the Pacific Disaster Resilience Meeting please go to: http://pacifichumanitarian.info/ The meeting will be part of the week-long program of events in Suva, Fiji around disaster management and resilience in the Pacific, which also includes Pacific Humanitarian Partnership Meeting, co-hosted by UNOCHA on 28 and 29 October and the ACP-EU/SPC Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP) Project s 2nd Regional Steering Committee (RSC) Meeting, hosted by SPC on 30 October. The event highlighted the need for all stakeholders to work together to address the impacts of climate change and disaster risks in the Pacific region, as well as, the important role of civil society and the private sector in building resilience. Also highlighted was the importance of consideration of vulnerable groups in actions to address climate change and disaster risks. Members of the Pacific community also participated in other events including Building Effective Partnerships Towards Resilient Small Island Developing States In The Post-2015 World; Enhancing Resilience of Small Island States; and Land Use Planning for Disaster Risk Reduction. Panel members for the Pacific Island Side Event 6

October 2014 - September 2015 New tools to increase resilience of Pacific Island countries to natural disasters A major regional geospatial information system and other innovative risk assessment tools are being developed to assist Pacific Island countries to undertake evidence-based decision making in development planning and finance. The tools, including a rapid impact estimation tool and the Pacific Risk Information System (PacRIS), are being developed by the SPC, World Bank and the Asian Development Bank with the financial support of the Government of Japan and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). The SPC Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI), aims to establish an upgraded disaster and climate risk information platform, and to enhance the capacity of Pacific Island governments to use it. PacRIS contains detailed, country-specific information on assets, populations, hazards and risks. For example, information can be extracted in relation to hazard zones for townships to be used in landuse planning decisions. It has several applications, including use in the development of the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Pilot, which made a payout to Tonga of USD 1.27 million, following Cyclone Ian in 2014, and of USD 1.9 million to Vanuatu in 2015, following tropical cyclone Pam. The PacRIS products utilise free and open source software which research from the World Bank has shown to have enormous benefits for both developed and developing countries and allow for a wide range of actors to be able to participate in building resilience. A four-day workshop was held in Fiji running from 9 to 12 June 2015, with representatives from Pacific region governments and development partners attending, focused on the disaster risk modelling and assessment tools. A World Bank-contracted risk modelling company, AIR Worldwide, presented at the workshop. PCRAFI is a joint initiative between SPC, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank with the financial support of the Government of Japan and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and technical support from AIR Worldwide, New Zealand GNS Science, Geoscience Australia, Pacific Disaster Centre (PDC), OpenGeo and GFDRR Labs. For more information on PCRAFI see: http://pcrafi. sopac.org/ 7

Snapshot 87 Palau Develops Pool of Post-Disaster Needs Assessors Palau undertook its first national training course in Post Disaster Needs Assessment, as part of preparations for the forthcoming typhoon season. The training was supported by SPC through the European Funded ACP-EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific. The training will increase Palau s ability to calculate the cost of damage and loss from future disaster events and to use this data to inform the identification of long-term recovery and reconstruction needs and solutions. Widely accepted as the international standard, Post Disaster Needs Assessments are comprehensive assessments that reveal the true cost of disasters by identifying all the impacts and calculating the cost of the damage and associated losses. Their level of detail and accuracy provides a strong foundation for identifying and prioritising appropriate measures to effect timely recovery and reconstruction. The training allowed Palau to learn from recent examples in Fiji and Samoa where the assessments revealed that the true cost of disasters far exceeds original estimates. It also gave participants the foundations for developing Standard Operating Procedures to guide the conduct of Post Disaster Needs Assessments in Palau. Broadcasters Climate and Disaster Resilience Plan project The Broadcasters Climate and Disaster Resilience Plan project helps national broadcasters strengthen their ability to provide quality and timely information to the public in the event of an emergency or disaster. Through the project broadcasters in Cook Islands, Kiribati, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu developed Climate and Disaster Resilience plans detailing the risk reduction and disaster preparedness measures they would put in place to ensure their readiness to provide vital warning messages to the public. In addition to the development of climate and disaster resilience plans, all broadcasters have also received newsroom training to build their capacity to report on climate change and disaster risk management issues. The project is an initiative funded by the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) and implemented by SPREP in partnership with the SPC. A selection of highlights from the project are provided below. 8

October 2014 - September 2015 Vanuatu s media prepare for future events Broadcasters and government ministries of Vanuatu were able to share their experiences and lessons learnt at training in Vanuatu in June delivered by SPC and SPREP through the Broadcasters Climate and Disaster Resilience Plan project. Participants at Vanuatu training Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC), along with private broadcasters Capitol FM 107 and Buzz FM 96, all developed Climate and Disaster Resilience Plans during the training, followed by a simulation exercise to test the plans, identify gaps, and refine the plan. Newsroom training on understanding climate and disaster management terms for journalists was held following the development of the plan. Kiribati Broadcasting Authority tests ability to deliver services in emergency National broadcasters play a pivotal role in providing public information and warnings about emergencies and disasters. The Climate and Disaster Resilience Plan supports the ability of the Broadcasting and Publication Authority to perform its duties in the event of an emergency or disaster in Kiribati by setting out ways to increase the resilience of the authority s infrastructure, operations and personnel. Participants at Kiribati training Journalists, media technicians, and administrative staff participated in a table top exercise to test new Climate and Disaster Resilience Plans developed through a two-day workshop led by the SPC in March 2015. Thirteen personnel from Kiribati s Broadcasting and Publication Authority, Kiribati Red Cross Society, the Office of Te Beretitenti and Newspapers; Kiribati Independent, Kiribati Update and Kiribati Newstar tested their readiness to stay on air and provide vital public information during a major emergency or disaster. Ueretan Bauro, Editor Te Uekera Newspaper participated in the workshop and commented that the BPA participants were grateful for the opportunity to attend this workshop which they found to be very interesting as it highlighted the importance of resilience planning. Mr Bauro added that he found the content of the workshop to be very relevant to BPA and it has provided BPA with good ideas on how to better prepare before any disaster. The exercise provided an invaluable opportunity to practice emergency response procedures based on a simulated crisis situation and better prepare for future emergencies or disasters in Kiribati, a Pacific nation highly vulnerable to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change. 9

Snapshot 87 Solomon Islands media receives training in climate change and disaster reporting Participants in Solomon Islands training Newsroom journalists received training in climate change and disaster reporting at the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) in Honiara in June 2015. Coordinated by SPREP in partnership with the SPC, FFA, and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology; the journalists received valuable training in understanding climate change, disaster risk management, and how these affect one of Solomon Islands biggest industries, tuna fishing. More than ten journalists from local media attended the training, and as part of the workshop, covering understanding climate change, eco-based adaptation to climate change, the effect of climate change on fisheries, climate change and gender, disaster risk management, and understanding national warning systems from the National Disaster Management Office. Knowledge garnered from the training will help the local media better understand the terms related to climate change and disasters and report more accurately. 2015 Climate Change Summit: Building resilience through genuine partnerships September saw Fiji s 3rd National Climate Change Summit held in Levuka which brought together more than 300 participants from community, government, national and regional levels to share their experiences and knowledge in addressing climate change and disaster risks across the country. The Summit saw the active involvement of key programmes dedicated to address climate change and disaster risks and was funded by the European Union ACP-EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific implemented by SPC; United States Agency for International Development Enhanced Climate Change Resilience of Food Production Systems in PICTs ; the SPC/Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Region Programme ; and the UNDP Pacific Risk Resilience Programme. 10

October 2014 - September 2015 Prime Minister of Fiji, Frank Bainimarama A major focus of the Summit was on young people s perspectives in acting on climate change and reducing the risk of future disasters by bringing together a broad array of youth groups engaged in climate change action. Community representatives from Levuka and the Lomaiviti Province along with representatives from the Government of Fiji, civil society organisations, faith based groups, non-government organisations, the private sector and development partners worked together as a diverse group to share and document their experiences, success stories and key actions on how to best tackle climate change and disaster risks. A key action of the annual conference was to integrate successful approaches into climate change and sector policy whilst building strong relationships between all of the diverse groups working together on climate and disaster action in Fiji. Opening ceremony The Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Esala Nayasi said this year s theme of Building climate resilience through genuine community and stakeholder partnerships, is critical in understanding the experiences and success of all the key players in reducing the impact of climate change and limiting disaster risks in the future. The conference, which commenced in 2012, is coordinated by the Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in collaboration with other technical government ministries, SPC, GIZ, University of the South Pacific, UNDP, World Wildlife Fund, European Union, United States Agency for International Development and the German Government. Pacific Resilience Program (PREP) On 19 June 2015, the World Bank approved USD32.29 million in International Development Association (IDA) grants and credits to support the Pacific Resilience Program (PREP), which aims to contribute to the resilient and sustainable economic and social development of the participating countries and of the region as a whole. The PREP will initially provide assistance to Samoa, Tonga, Republic of Marshall Islands and Vanuatu. This assistance will strengthen early warning and preparedness; retrofit key public assets to meet international resilience standards; create a framework for smarter investment in resilience activities; and improve financial resilience by enabling access to an immediate injection of cash for post-disaster recovery. Most of the implementation will take place at the national level via relevant implementing agencies over five years, with support and coordination from the SPC and Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS). SPC will provide technical, fiduciary, monitoring and evaluation support to countries. In addition, SPC will provide technical support to strengthen early warning systems with impact forecasting and discussion support tools. PREP is one of the many initiatives to assist Pacific Island countries and territories in strengthening partnerships for resilient development. 11

Snapshot 87 46 th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting Papua New Guinea hosted the 2015 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting between 8 to 10 September 2015. Numerous topics were discussed for the Pacific region. In relation to climate change and disaster risk management the Pacific Island Forum Leaders : Reiterated their concerns that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihood, security and well-being of the peoples of the Pacific. Leaders called for the adoption of an ambitious and legally binding agreement at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21). They strongly endorsed the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Declaration on Climate Change Action in advance of the COP21 meeting this year. Extended the current two regional frameworks: the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change; and the Pacific Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Management Framework for Action for one year. UPCOMING EVENTS: October 5 6 Shelter Cluster Coordination Workshop, Geneva, IFRC Auditorium 5 9 Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) Training, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia 12 16 Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) Training, Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia 13 International Day for Disaster Reduction 2015: Knowledge for Life 13 16 Pacific Training course on Disaster Risk Manage ment of Cultural Heritage in Small Islands Develop ing States, Vanuatu cultural Centre, Port Vila 19 23 Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) Training, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 19 23 Post Disaster Needs Assessment Training, Samoa 26 6 Nov 11th International Training Course on GIS for Disaster Risk Management, Bangkok Thailand 26 27 Pacific Regional Disaster Resilience Meeting, Suva Fiji 28 29 8th Pacific Humanitarian Team Regional Meeting, Suva Fiji 30 ACP-EU/SPC Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP) Project s 2nd Regional Steering Committee (RSC) Meeting, Suva Fiji 27 29 Regional Forum for Directors of National Meterological and Hydrological Services from the South east Asia and Pacific Countries, Nadi Fiji 31 2 Nov Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA), Alofi, Niue November For more information: 3 5 Introduction to risk-informed decision-making in urban development planning, Honiara, Solomon Islands 4 5 Conference of the Pacific Community, Alofi, Niue 10 12 Introduction to risk-informed decision-making in urban development planning, Papua New Guinea 16 26 Emergency Operations Centres, Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia 24 26 Introduction to risk-informed decision-making in urban development planning, Nuku'alofa, Tonga SPC s Geoscience Division: http://gsd.spc.int/ Pacific Disaster Net : http://www.pacificdisaster.net/pdn2008/ Pacific Roadmap: http://gsd.spc.int/srdp/ PCRAFI : http://pcrafi.sopac.org/ 12 Contact for more information: Geoscience Division (GSD), Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Mead Road, Nabua, Fiji Islands. Tel. (+679) 3381377 / Fax. (+679) 3370040/3384461 Website: gsd.spc.int email: SOPACDirector@spc.int