SOPAC Geoscience DivisionSOPAC Geoscience DivisionPresentation on current climate Presentation on current climate change activities, key issues, change activities, key issues,

opportunities & constraints.opportunities & constraints.

SPC Consultation on Climate ChangeSPC Consultation on Climate Change16-17 December 2010.16-17 December 2010.

NoumeaNoumea

Disaster Reduction Programme

Director

Ocean & Islands Programme

Water & Sanitation Programme

Divisional leadership, strategy and overall

management

The Ocean and Islands Programme (OIP) provides applied ocean , island and coastal Geoscience services to support countries to govern and develop their natural resources , increase their resilience to hazards and facilities data based approaches to adaptation . These vital technical services have been strategically deployed in response to specific member requests to assist in the development, management and monitoring of natural resources and unique island environmental systems and processes.

The Disaster Reduction Programme (DRP) exists to provide PICTs with technical and policy advice and support to strengthen disaster risk management practices. The DRP carries out this responsibility in coordination and collaboration with other technical Programme areas within the Division and also with a range of regional and international development partners and donors.

The Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) provides technical support to PICTs through capacity building, awareness and advocacy related to the management of water resources and the provision of water supply and sanitation services. In-country counterparts vary from national hydrological services, water resources managers, public water supply and wastewater service providers, water regulators, various ministries responsible for water governance, and various civil society partners.

Technical Support Services

Natural Resource EconomicsGIS/Remote Sensing

Technical Equipment and ServicesData Management

Publications & Library

Corporate Services

Human Resources ManagementCommunications/Public Relations

AdministrationFinance

Ocean and IslandsA programme focused on development and management of non-living resources in ocean and island systems addressing issues relating to seabed resources, energy, maritime boundary delimitation and monitoring of coastal and ocean processes including adaptation to climate change through a “no regrets approach”.

Water and SanitationA programme of capacity building, advocacy and awareness in sustainable integrated water resources management (IWRM), bearing in mind that the most significant impacts of climate change will be through alterations in the water cycle.

Disaster Reduction A programme aimed at strengthening the safety and resilience to natural disasters through improved disaster risk reduction , disaster management and the mainstreaming of disaster risk considerations together with climate change adaptation considerations into national plans and budgets.

3 Technical work programmes of the SOPAC Division

Correlation Annual Rainfall Betio and Nino3.4 SST Anomaly, 1950-2007

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Year

An

nu

al

Ra

infa

ll (

mm

)

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

An

nu

al

Nin

o3

.4 S

ST

An

om

aly

Annual Rain

Nino3.4 SST

Correlation = 0.839

Assess & Monitor

1

ApplyInformation

2

Manage Risks

3

Strengthen Capacity at the National Level (Generic and site specific examples)

Mainstreaming

1. Supplement and strengthen national capacity to conduct assessment and monitoring as a key component of resources management. 

2. Enhance the application of geoscience data and information to develop resource management responses to cope with climate variability and change.

3. Change the paradigm for dealing with island vulnerability on a sectoral basis to a more integrated/holistic approach which includes mainstreaming of disaster reduction and climate change adaptation into national processes.

Strategic Action for the SPC Geoscience Division

Responding to national needsResponding to national needs

UN Framework Conventionon Climate Change

Hyogo Framework for Action

Pacific Disaster Risk Management Framework for Action

Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change

Pacific Plan Mauritius Strategy

Regional Initiatives linked to Climate Variability Regional Initiatives linked to Climate Variability and Changeand Change

• South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project (OIP) (OIP)

• Coastal Process Assessment and Modelling for CC Coastal Process Assessment and Modelling for CC Vulnerability Assessment (OIP)Vulnerability Assessment (OIP)

• Pacific Hydrological Cycle Observing System (WSP)Pacific Hydrological Cycle Observing System (WSP)

• Pacific Integrated Water Resources Management Pacific Integrated Water Resources Management Project (WSP)Project (WSP)

• Pacific Disaster Risk Assessment & Financing Initiative Pacific Disaster Risk Assessment & Financing Initiative (DRP)(DRP)

• Development and implementation of DRM/CCA Development and implementation of DRM/CCA National Action Plans for PICs (DRPNational Action Plans for PICs (DRP))

SOPAC engagement in current dialogue andPartnerships relating to climate variability and

mainstreaming of risk management.

• SOPAC actively supports and conducts and number of activities at national, regional and international level and which are either Climate Change Adaptation or Climate Change science related.

• Examples:• Climate Change Round Table (including facilitating

working groups)• Development Partners on Climate Change. (Including

presentations on thematic areas of work).• Pacific Platform for DRM (managing platform and

partnerships). Annual Regional Disaster Managers Meeting Annual meeting of the Pacific DRM Partnership

Network Biennial meeting of Pacific CEOs for

Finance/Planning & DRM

OCEAN & ISLANDS PROGRAMME

Water and Sanitation ProgrammeMonitoring & Assessment

2. Effective Use and Communication of Information

FSM – Yap StateFSM – Yap State

Major changes to building stock due to Typhoon Suudal

Data collected will feed into the risk modelling and mapping which in turn could inform decision making. The data collected can also be used for other initiatives such as rain water harvesting.

The way forward:The way forward:

DDoing business better together.oing business better together. 1. SPC Commitment to Engage with PICTs to adapt

to Climate Change.2. Exploit and Maximise SPC’s multi-sectoral

strengths to mainstreaming climate change adaptation.

3. Maximising an opportunity of the RIF and ensure that the policy statement is reflected in the new SPC Corporate Plan – as a key ‘principle’ to guide SPC’s work in the future.

4. In this process it is critical to SOPAC that service delivery in climate change adaptation is enhanced in an integrated manner.

5. Not a case of business as usual; Not of case of doing different business; More a case of doing business differently.