Introduction

In Samoa, a climate change-related increase in natural disasters has put communities and economies at risk. The project Enhancing Resilience of Coastal Communities of Samoa to Climate Change, or ERCC seeks to enhance the resilience of coastal communities through a set of interventions at the community and sub-national policy levels.

The project is implementing on-the-ground coastal adaptation measures, addressing climate change impacts on key infrastructure elements and coastal ecosystems. In addition to this, and to ensure that investments are long-lasting and sustainable, it is strengthening institutional policies and capacities to provide an enabling environment for climate resilient coastal development. The project is due to come to an end in mid-2018.

Project Details

Key Results and Outputs

Meetings and Workshops

Monitoring & Evaluation

SUCCESS STORIES

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

Website (mockup):

Campaign hashtag: #SamoaAdapts

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PROJECT VIDEOS

COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS

Infographics

Banners

Posters

Photo-messages

Road signs

Video Animation sketches

ON THE NEWS

'Building the capacity of local communities', Samoa Observer, April 16, 2018. Four hundred representatives from villages and community organisations in Samoa have participated in ‘Call for Proposals’ workshops by the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme. The main goal of the workshops was to familiarise, inform, and build the local communities capacity on how they can obtain and utilize financial assistance to address their environmental challenges.

'Parterships for Development: Faleū Manono wharf reconstruction', SamoaCARES, April 16, 2018. In Samoa, a consultative and participatory process ensures communities prioritise their own development needs (and that women, youth and men give input and have ownership over new projects). New climate-resilient wharf increases safety and access to education, and supports sustainable tourism.

'Village of Faleu Manono, Samoa, celebrates new climate-resilient wharf', Samoa Observer, April 14, 2018. Begun in October last year, phase one of the Faleu Wharf renovation project has been completed, promopting celebration in the village.

'Women in Climate Change: Keeping the Cool', UNDP Samoa, March 7, 2018. Building resilience is the capacity to anticipate, prepare and respond against potential threats, and women in Samoa, for their family protection role, are key actors in both developing and implementing climate resilience solutions. “Ë au le ina’ilau a tama’ita’i” - "Women can do anything"

'Water help for Matafa’a Village', Samoa Observer, March 3, 2018.  The assistance of household water tanks currently funded under the Adaptation Fund project provide an additional 95,000 litres of clean water for the village of Matafa’a.  This week, 19 household water tanks were happily received by the Matafa’a community.

'Safe Haven Project Officially launched at Falefa' Samoa Planet', December 2017. A safe haven project in the village of Falefa was officially launched last week. This project is funded through a small grants programme via the Civil Society Support Programme (CSSP), with finance from the Adaptation Fund Project and support from UNDP. The village will construct a hall building as a safe haven for not only the village, but for neighbouring communities in times of natural disasters.

'Samoan villagers to receive grants for locally-driven climate adaptation initiatives' UNDP Samoa, August 2017: The Government of Samoa through its Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment, along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), have awarded 12 small grants to support community-driven climate change adaptation in villages across Savaii island. The grants kick start the procurement of goods and services needed for the implementation of community-based climate resilience projects.

'Land, water and climate change' - Samoa Observer, July 3, 2017:  Two environmentally-based projects under Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment joined forces last week to provide a combined training for 20 villages in Savai’i, on sustainable land and integrated water management and climate-resilient sustainable agricultural practices. Eighty community members took part in the intensive three-day community-based training. “It’s a new and useful concept for me to be able to strategically plan the layout of my farm based on the land conditions and landscape and shape,” said one.

'Community empowered to call for funding help' - Samoa Observer, June 1, 2017: To assist communities in accessing funding for climate change adaptation projects under the Adaptation Fund, the Government of Samoa - in partnership with UNDP - is organising workshops on how to successfully complete an application for a small grant.

'Resilient Coast: Climate Change and coastal living in Samoa' - UNDP Samoa, June 4, 2015: Safer water, improved roads, a more resilient coastline through, “Enhancing Resilience of Coastal Communities of Samoa to Climate Change”,implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Samoa, with the support of the UNDP.

REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS

Links:  Adaptation Fund, UNDP Samoa, UNDP Adaptation Fund

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CONTACTS

Mr. Limutau Kirisimasi Seumanutafa

Principal Strategic Planning Officer, MNRE

kirisimasi.seumanutafa@mnre.gov.ws

Ms. Tessa Tafua

Programme Analyst, UNDP Samoa.

tessa.tafua@undp.org Ph. +685 23670 Ext: 2

Mr. Alvaro Hoyos Ramos

Communications Officer, Adaptation Fund

alvaro.hoyos@mnre.gov.ws, Ph. +685 7619024