The Urban Growth Trends Report forms part of the Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction Project: Risk Mapping and Planning for Urban Preparedness Project being undertaken by the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department. The report analyses the trend existing urban development, the historical growth trends, teh legislative framework and key drivers that are directly growth in Port Vila and Luganville urban areas.
This report assesses adaptive capacity in the Tegua island community in northern Vanuatu and examines the role of the ‘Capacity Building for the Development of Adaptation Measures in Pacific Island Countries’ (CBDAMPIC) relocation project in shaping it.
This vocabulary was created as part of the Griffith University Pacific iClim Project. The Project has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade initiative Government Partnerships for Development Program to support SPREP in implementing a regional approach to climate change data and information management throughout the Pacific.
In 2013, the Government of Vanuatu and UNDP requested technical assistance from the USAID funded Adapt Asia-Pacific Project to support four specialists, including an International Gender Advisor, to prepare the “Adaptation to Climate Change in the Coastal Zone in Vanuatu Project” (VCAP).
The Government of Vanuatu has decided to develop an oceans policy, which aligns with recommendations from the
Commonwealth Secretariat.
This report summarises the main findings1 of an analysis and assessment of 69 instruments of legislation and
subordinate policies and plans that are relevant to management and use of Vanuatu’s territorial waters and therefore
relevant to the development of the national oceans policy. The review of Vanuatu’s legislation, policies, strategies and
The Mini Census was conducted in response to the recent disasters affecting the country, to update the list of households affected by the disasters. The Mini Census also provide an opportunity to update basic counts of certain government programs and policies.
The Government of Vanuatu recognises that effective institutions and the inter-relationships between them are at the heart of its ability to respond to growing climate and disaster risks. To this end, a comprehensive analysis of climate and disaster risk governance is undertaken.
Pacific Tool for Resilience
PARTneR will enable Pacific government Ministries and stakeholder organisation to effectively developed and used risk-based information to support development decision making on DRR & DRM
PARTneR will tailor RiskScape, a disaster impact mapping and modelling software developed jointly with New Zealand NIWA and GNS science.
Van-KIRAP will support VGMD to provide five target sectors, including the Department of Agriculture
and its stakeholders with climate information ready to be used in current and planned activities. A
sector Coordinator in the Department of Agriculture will co-ordinate the Agriculture and Climate
Action and Communication Plan to advance the mainstreaming of climate information services into
agricultural policy, planning, design and delivery.
Van-KIRAP will support VGMD to provide five target sectors, including the Department of Agriculture
and its stakeholders with climate information ready to be used in current and planned activities. A
sector Coordinator in the Department of Agriculture will co-ordinate the Agriculture and Climate
Action and Communication Plan to advance the mainstreaming of climate information services into
agricultural policy, planning, design and delivery.
The Government of Vanuatu, with the guidance of the Recovery Operations Centre (ROC) conducted a Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) with support from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Pacific Community (SPC). The PDNA, which took place during the months of April and May 2023, was implemented in collaboration with ADB, FAO, UNFPA, UNWOMEN, UNICEF, WHO, ILO, the World Bank.
The environment of Vanuatu including its land based resources are extremely vulnerable to climate-related hazards, such as cyclones strong wind gusts, droughts, heats spells, floods and sea level rise/storm surges. Most of these hazards are precipitated by natural weather phenomena and therefore will be exacerbated by the current and future impacts of climate change. This vulnerability is a threat not only to the livelihoods of the people of Vanuatu but also to a healthy and prosperous nation.
A national debriefing workshop to identify lessons learned following Tropical Cyclone Pam (TC Pam) was facilitatedby the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) with support from the Pacific Community (SPC) and
Vanuatu ranks as the world’s most vulnerable country due to its high exposure to natural disasters, scattered island geography, narrow economic base, inadequate communication and transportation networks, and limited capacity to cope with disasters including those caused or exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Annually Vanuatu is impacted by a number of cyclones, which are expected to become more intense under current climatic projections, with coastal communities and ecosystems being most vulnerable and impacted by these events.
Malampa is one of the six provinces of Vanuatu, located in the centre of the country and consisting of three main islands namely Malekula, Ambrym and Paama. It also includes a number of smaller offshore islands – the small islands of Uripiv, Norsup, Rano, Wala, Atchin and Vao off the coast of Malekula and the volcanic island of Lopevi near Paama (currently uninhabited). Also included are the Maskelynne Islands and other small islands suck as Akam and Avock along the south coast of Malekula.
Following TC Pam NDMO recognised the need for enhanced community based disaster risk management responses. As such over the last year NDMO has been working with its key in country partners to review, revise and update certain processes and tools. One of those DRM processes and tools is the community based disaster assessment process.
As of the 2009 Census, the total population on the island of Santo was 39,606 people. Santo is the second highest populated island in Vanuatu, second only to Efate. Luganville, with a population of 13,167 is the second largest town in Vanuatu and is located on the southern coast of the island, approximately a 1.5 hour drive from the project site. According to the 2009 Census, the annual population growth rate for Santo is 2.4%.
Shefa Province is one of the six provinces of Vanuatu, located in the lower centre of the country and it includes the islands of Epi, Efate and the Shepherds Group. It has a total population of 79,212
people based on latest estimate by Vanuatu Statistics Office and an area of 1,455 km². Its capital is Port Vila, which is also the capital of the nation.
Epi Island is located in the northeast corner of the province. The Epi Sub-District Office, an integral part of the Shefa Provincial Government Council is located at Rovo Bay, in the Vermali Area Council.