South Pacific Regional Environment Program

Climate change program

'Climate change and atmosphere'  is one of the focal areas under the Pacific Futures program, and includes five main areas of work: (1.) Strengthen meteorological services; (2.) understanding of climate change, variability and sea-level rise; (3.) vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation; (4.) policy development and climate change; and (5.) ozone-depleting substances.⁶

Strengthened meteorological services - The objective of this work area is to strengthen the meteorological and climatological capacities of Pacific island countries to plan and respond to climate variability and extreme weather events.⁷ As part of this area, SPREP supports operation of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Pacific Islands-Global Climate Observing System (PI-GCOS) program, which is aimed specifically at meeting the observation needs of Pacific Islands.⁸

Understanding of climate change, variability and sea level rise - This work area aims to reduce uncertainties in climate prediction and scenario development through the use of clearinghouse mechanisms. SPREP members agree that more research needs to be done to understand climate variability, climate change and sea level rise through information, modeling and clearinghouse mechanisms, and that such research needs to identify and assess vulnerabilities as well as impacts.⁹ The ARMS project, which was successfully implemented from 2000 to 2006 and which was financed by the Global Environment Facility, is part of this work area. ARMS had four immediate objectives: to enhance transboundary management mechanisms, to enhance conservation and sustainable use of coastal and watershed resources, to enable the conservation and sustainable yield of ocean living resources, and to maximize regional benefits from lessons learned through community-based participation and to catalyze donor participation. Countries that participated in the project were: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.¹⁰

Vulnerability, Adaptation and Mitigation - The objective of this work area is to develop frameworks for analyzing impacts of and vulnerability to climate change, and to develop adaptation response measures. The area has been agreed upon under the understanding that Pacific islands urgently need to adapt to climate change and adopt mitigation options, and that coordination and assistance is needed to assess and implement feasible options and access funds for implementation of activities.¹¹ Two projects have been implemented as part of the :vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation" work area: the Capacity Building for the Development of Adaptation Measures in Pacific Island Countries (CBDAMPIC) and the Pacific Islands Greenhouse Gas Abatement through Renewable Energy Project (PIGGAREP). The CBDAMPIC project was financed by the Canadian International Development Assistance and implemented from 2002 to 2005. The purpose of the project was to develop and implement a capacity building program that will increase the capability of four Pacific Island countries' to reduce climate-related risks at the national and community level.¹² PIGGAREP is a product of a Global Environment Facility (GEF) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and commenced in 2007. The objective of the project is to reduce the growth rate of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuel use in the Pacific island countries through the removal of the barriers to the widespread and cost effective use of feasible rural electrification (RE) technologies. It aims to accomplish this objective through the promotion of the productive use of RE to reduce GHG emission by removing the major barriers to the widespread and cost-effective use of commercially viable RE technologies.¹³

Policy Development on Climate Change - This work area aims to to enhance the development of climate change policy in Pacific island countries internationally, regionally and nationally and to identify and secure funding. SPREP member countries agree that technical and legal advisory services need to be provided to assist Pacific island parties implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to ensure consistency with international processes such as the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)  and the 1994 Barbados Program of Action + 10 (BPoA+10), and to establish linkages with the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and related instruments such as the United Nationals Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).¹⁴

Ozone-Depleting Substances - The objective of this work area has been to assist in facilitating the phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by 2005 in eight core countries. Taking into account the linkages between CFCs and GHGs, SPREP worked to implement the objectives of Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, to eliminate ozone depleting substances by the year 2005.¹⁵