Developing countries, as a group, are the ones most
threatened by the hydrological impacts of global climate
change (GCC). This is true both because many of the
poorest countries lie in those regions where GCC-related
effects will be most damaging, and because their ability to
respond to harmful change is the most limited. The objective
of this study is to provide an overview of likely waterrelated
climate change impacts in developing countries, to
develop a framework for adapting to these impacts and to

It is becoming evident that if high-consumption societies are to tackle climate
change, signifi cant changes in production processes as well as in consumption
patterns will be required. Such transformations cannot be achieved unless
climate change is taken into account in the general and sector-specifi c policies
which underlie economic activity and general social development. When industry,
energy producers or transport companies take action as a result of climate
policies, they are also infl uenced signifi cantly by other policies. The degree to

Cost-benefit analysis is a framework to assess the merits of an activity (project, policy) from the
perspective of society (as opposed to a single individual). It involves:
• measuring the gains and losses (benefits and costs) from an activity to the community
using money as the measuring rod; and
• aggregating those values of gains and losses and expressing them as net community
gains or losses (see Pearce 1983).
 

  Regional training workshop on the identification and development of climate change no-regret actions in the water sector (3-5 October 2012, Amman –Jordan)

SWIM-SM has conducted a 3-day regional training to develop the capacity of national and local water practitioners from the Partner Countries (PCs) to undertake immediate precautionary measures towards the adaptation of the water sector to potential negative impacts of climate change.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) secretariat has produced this book to
highlight the concerns and needs of developing countries
in adapting to the effects of climate change. This book
outlines the impact of climate change in four developing
country regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America and small
island developing States; the vulnerability of these regions
to future climate change; current adaptation plans,
strategies and actions; and future adaptation options
and needs.
 

Economic growth in Vanuatu has not matched the current population growth of 3% per
annum. This high population growth rate, coupled with a rapid increase in the number of people
migrating into the two main urban centres and increasing unemployment, is creating social and
economic problems. These problems are exacerbated by external shocks, such as world price
instability, and internal shocks, due to natural and man-made disasters, which have a negative
impact on the composition, stability and reliability of food availability and entitlements in
Vanuatu.

 In August 2008, Pacific leaders at the 39th Pacific Island Forum, held in Niue, acknowledged the
high importance of food security as an emerging issue. The leaders committed their governments
to "immediate action to address food security issues nationally and where possible, regionally,
through a range of measures across key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, health, trade and
transport". Similar concerns had been widely discussed and recommended at the 7th Pacific

The National Consultation on Policy and Programmatic Actions to Address High Food Prices for
Vanuatu was held at the Le Lagon Resort, Port Vila on 16-17 April 2012. Vanuatu is one of the
four countries selected by FAO to hold further dialogue following the Sub-Regional Consultation
on High Food Prices for the Pacific sub-region that was held in Nadi, Fiji in 2011. The other
countries included the Cook Islands, Niue and the Solomon Islands. The meeting was convened
by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Quarantine, Forestry and Fisheries (MALQFF);

Ralph Regenvanu is a Vanuatu Member
of Parliament and Director of the Vanuatu
National Cultural Council. This article is an
edited version of a speech presented at
“Pacific Islands and the World” Conference
in Brisbane, 3 August 2009. The full
speech is available at: http://aidwatch.org.
au/publications/the-traditional-economyas-the-source-of-resilience-in-melanesia
 

Climate change, resulting from both
natural and anthropogenic factors, is
expected to affect virtually every aspect
of marine ecosystem structure
and function from community composition
and biogeochemical cycling,
to the prevalence of diseases. Climate
can affect all life-history stages
through direct and indirect processes
and the possible effects of climate
change for marine populations include
changes in population dynamics
(body size, reproduction), community
composition and geographical
distributions.
 

In collaboration with national meteorological services, the PCCSP has developed eight-page brochures that present country-specific information about the past, current and future climate of each of the partner countries. These brochures can be accessed from the following links.