Gases

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Methodology

The electricity sector emissions were analysed using data from the utilities, customs department and relevant assessments, studies and reports from development partners and civil society organizations. The data for electricity generation were entered into the GHG emission estimation model and converted to CO2 emissions using standard conversion factors. The extrapolated data from the above sources suggests the kWh consumption in the electricity sector will rise at 3.6% per annum until 2020 after which a slightly lower growth rate is used to give an average increase of 3% until 2030.

Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories and UNFCCC software “Non Annex 1 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Software, Version 1.3.3 was used for the GHG inventory. Sectoral data for GHG estimation compiled from various sources primarily using national data collected from annual reports, statistical reports, studies and brochures of related department/institutions. The projections of emissions data to 2010  was reported in the SNC from similar data sources as the 2000 data and has a similar uncertainty analysis.

Planning Process

Vanuatu’s INDCs is well aligned with the Government’s Priority Action Agenda Policy Objective 4.5 which is most relevant to Climate Change and states, “to ensure the protection and conservation of Vanuatu’s natural resources and biodiversity, taking climate change issues in consideration.” The contribution is also based on the research undertaken for a number of national initiatives including the Vanuatu National Energy Roadmap (2013- 2020), the Scaling Up Renewable Energy in Low Income Countries (SREP) report, Rural electrification NAMA design document by UNDP MDG Carbon and Vanuatu’s Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) report undertaken by IRENA . In addition, relevant data and information has been used from the Government of Vanuatu and various private and civil society organizations. Extensive consultations with all relevant stakeholders were held during the preparation of Vanuatu’s INDC.

Adaptation Priorities and Goals

Priorities

For Vanuatu, as an LDC, the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) process identified and prioritised adaptation priority needs that were urgent and immediate - those needs for which further delay could increase vulnerability or lead to increased costs at a later stage.

The Vanuatu NAPA identified 11 top adaptation priorities through a national consultation process. These adaptation priorities were further refined to include 5 top priorities for support and implementation. The 5 NAPA priorities include:

1. Agriculture and food security
2. Sustaiable tourism development
3. Community based marine resource management
4. Sustaiable forest management

1. Integrated water resource management

Out of the 5 top priorities, Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) financing has been sourced to further elaborate and implement priorities 1 and 5 while a concepts for 2 is being developed. Health, which is among the 6 priorities was not selected for concept development however given interest from key implementing  agencies, financing from the LDCF has been secured for concept development and implementation.

The NAPA further recognised that the following core issues were relevant to all priorities and should be an integral part of any  proposed activities;

1. Awareness raising at all levels
2. Capcity building including institutional capacity
3. Research and development
4. Promotion of appropriate traditional knowledge and pracitces
5. Technology Transfer
6. Education and training
7. Mainstreaming of climate change and disdaster risk reduction
8. Consideration of marine and terrestrial Biodiversity issues

The National Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Policy identifies 5 key adaptation strategic priorities and associated actions to further enhance the national adaptation efforts and build resilience across sectors. These strategic priorities from 2015 to 2020 include the need for:

1. Climate Change vulnerability and multi sector impact assessments
2. Integrated climate change and disaster risk reduction
3. Community based adaptation
4. Loss and damage
5. Ecosystem based approaches

Please see annex for detailed information.

Support Needed

Financial

The Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Review (CPEIR) report for Vanuatu states that Vanuatu has been receiving a lower share of adaptation funding than most other Pacific island countries. To adequately adapt to the impacts of climate change, starting now, the annual cost is estimated to be 1.5% of a country's GDP. For Vanuatu, this equates to an investment of US$9.5million per year. This is substantially higher than the amount of development funding currently being spent on projects that have Adaptation as their principal objective.

In coming years, greater levels of donor funding are likely to be available for climate change adaptation as the economies and budgets of Developed Countries recover from the Global Financial Crisis. As well, as a Least Developed Country, Vanuatu is likely to benefit from the United Nations goal of promoting at least half of these countries to 'Developing Country' status by 2019.

To be in a better position to take advantage of CC/DRR funding that will become available, Vanuatu is establishing strong, efficient and sustainable governance arrangements, and demonstrating a track record in maintaining these arrangements. Ministry of  Climate Change is also targeting National Implementing Entity (NIE) accreditation, which will also give it direct access to funding from the Adaptation Fund and potentially other sources of funding for climate change such as the Green Climate Fund.

Technical

A Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) for Vanuatu is needed as a matter of priority to look at implementing a country driven process for identifying and analysing the priority technology needs for mitigating and adapting to climate change. Carrying out the TNA could provide an opportunity to realize the need for new techniques, equipment, knowledge and skills for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and reducing vulnerability to climate change.

Capacity

At the policy and legislative levels a number of legislative changes  are required to reflect the current climate and disaster governance arrangements and clarify the full range of climate and disaster risk responsibilities. Among these are the National Disaster Management Act and the Vanuatu Meteorology Act. At the corporate level the Ministry of Climate Change needs to develop a long term cooperate plan to guide the implementation of its responsibility and also  to further guide the agencies under its remit. Agency level cooperate plans are already in existence but lack strong links between the various departments. At the institutional level the need to streamline and strengthen the NAB and its Secretariat is a priority. At the human resource level, no systematic assessment has been carried out to understand the required skills set, existing skills set and the gaps for implementing CC/DRR initiatives. No human resource development plan has been developed. Most training is ad hoc in nature and not linked to a formal professional development strategy. At the information and knowledge management level, systems exist but are not fully utilised. This makes information sharing and learning of lessons difficult.

Further, Vanuatu continues to face several barriers as it strives to meet its UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol obligations. The various obstacles include insufficient institutional and financial resources; lack of research data; information management problems and; inadequate human resources and infrastructure. More must be done to build awareness both within the Government and the community about Vanuatu’s vulnerability to climate change. There is also an apparent need to feed information, knowledge and technologies to enable improved decision-making and environmental management.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The monitoring and reporting on the adaptation activities of the INDC will be conducted at the Ministry level by the CCDRR PMU in close collaboration with the M&E unit of the Prime Minister’s Office, as is

the current practice with projects being implemented under the oversight of the NAB. This will ensure that achievements in the implementation of the INDC priorities are appropriately captured and reported on in the Government's Annual Development Report prepared by the Prime Minister's Office.

Fairness, Equity and Ambition

Fairness, Equity and Ambition

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has been recognised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as the most vulnerable countries to face the effects of climate  change. Vanuatu being a part of SIDS share similar challenges.

Vanuatu anticipates many impacts from climate change on its society, economy, environment and human health and Vanuatu through the Ministry of Climate Change is actively cooperating with United  Nations agencies and international partners to assess these effects and develop appropriate plans through climate change adaptation  and mitigation.

Vanuatu’s adaptation plans and programmes intends to support progress towards the country’s national development  priorities and the goal of environmental sustainability, by ensuring that a focus on reducing vulnerabilities and risks is incorporated into planning and activities across all sectors of the economy and society.

Vanuatu is also keen to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels for the energy needs. The National Energy Road Map, which sets out a clear strategy and action plan for the development and use of alternative and sustainable energy sources, has an ambitious goal of reducing the country’s high reliance on imported fossil fuel by meeting 65% of its electricity needs from renewable energy sources.

Vanuatu’s past emissions have been miniscule and have only become locally significant in the past decade or two. In general development issues dominate rather than climate change mitigation.

Vanuatu is a small developing nation with absolute levels of CO2 eq emissions very small at under 0.0016% of world emissions. The country is also one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and has much to lose should the worst predictions from increased temperature levels eventuate. As such the country will do its best to mitigate but would require financial, technical and capacity building support to do so.

National Adaptation Programme of Action - Priorities

• Agriculture and food security
• Development of resilient crop species including traditional varieties
• Land use planning and management
• Water resource management
• Sustainable forest management
• Marine resource management and aqua culture
• Climate change and infrastructure
• Sustainable livestock farming and management
• Integrated coastal zone management
• Sustainable tourism development
• Vector and water borne disease management

Strategic Priority – Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction

Strategy

Actions

Climate Vulnerability and Multi- Sector Impact Assessment

Enhance efficiency and effectiveness of adaptation action and design action to address explicit climate impacts in specific sites through:

• Vulnerably assessments and risk mapping using multi-hazard approaches as the basis of all adaptation action, conducted prior to implementation with communities and in a participatory, free and informed way
• Adaptation, appropriate to local communities, being a research priority for all actors, including scientific research, farmer-based trials, traditional indicators and observation systems and demonstration sites
• Selecting and prioritizing actions based on criteria including effectiveness, efficiency, efficacy, and cost effectiveness using internationally recognized tools (e.g. environmental impact assessment, cost benefit analysis) and locally utilized processes
• Adaptation decisions being based on relevant data and information using already available data, statistics and processes
• Data and information on adaptation being shared  with and incorporated into centralized systems (eg NAB portal)

Adopt multi-sectoral approaches and address complex impacts through:

• Considering adaptation information from multiple sectors and knowledge systems to avoid maladaptation that may result from a narrow, single sector adaptation focus
• Considering urban and rural adaptation issues equally and fairly in national adaptation planning and action based on vulnerability criteria