Climate Change in Samoa

Tupaimatuna I. Lavea (CEO, Ministry of Finance)

Taule’ale’ausumai T.L. Malua (CEO, Ministry of Natural
Resources & Environment)
Presenters: Heremoni Suapaia (MoF)
Tupa’emanaia Dr. Steve Brown (MNRE)
Mulipola Ausetalia Titimaea (MNRE)
Presentation Outline
 Samoa in Brief
 Climate Change Negotiations History
 Climate Change Trends – Sea Level & Rainfall
 National Climate Change Policy
 Institutional Framework
 Financial Support for Climate Change Response
 Climate Change Projects
 Projected Climate Change for Samoa

 Decrease in rainfall by 10%

 More extreme and high intensity precipitation events
 Temperature increase
 Highs reaching an extreme of 37˚C
 Sea level rise of .5m
Climate 2020:
 Increase
Tropical, in frequency
37°C, non-uniform, and
> variation intensity of tropical
cyclones
Extreme wet & warm (Nov to Apr)
Long dry & cool (May to Oct)
Rainfall: 2700 mm (56% wet season)
 Country Status: Least Developed Country (LDC)
Economy: Tourism, agriculture, fish, forests, tourism
Combined Land Area: 2,935 km2
Location:
Population: 174,140
Apia Population: 40,000

Climate:
Tropical, 24-32°C, uniform, < variation
Wet and warm (Nov to Apr)
Dry and cool (May to Oct)
Rainfall: 3000mm (66% wet season)
Climate Change Negotiations History

 1992 signed the UNFCCC Convention

 1994 ratification of the Convention
 1998 signed the Kyoto Protocol
 1999 completion of First National Communication
 2000 ratification of Kyoto Protocol
Climate Change Trends in Samoa
Sea Level Rise – data from old tide gauge and 1984 SEAFRAME
tide gauge in Apia – sea level likely to rise by 36 cm by 2050
(Young, 2007)
100

90

80
Sea Level (cm)

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
2000 2025 2050 2075 2100
Year
Climate Change Trends in Samoa
Daily Rainfall – data from Apia Observatory archive
(Young, 2007)

Return Periods (yrs) – Daily Rainfall, Apia

Daily Rainfall of at
1960 -1979 1980 - 2006
Least (mm)

200 11.6 3.0

250 60 5.5

300 318 10

350 1700 21

Return Period: The average number of years between a given extreme event
National Climate Change Policy
 Preceding references – The 1993 National Environment and
Development Strategy (NEMS) and State of Environment (SOE)
report provide the framework for Samoa’s response to climate
change and 2006 National Adaptation Program for Action
(NAPA).
 Other important guiding documents – Statement of
Development Strategy (SDS – 2000-2001, 2002-2004, 2005-2007
& 2008-2012 ; 2002 World Summit on SDAR; and 2003
Barbados Program of Action Assessment Report
 Title of policy – National Policy on Combating Climate Change
 Purpose of policy – outline Samoa response to climate change
National Climate Change Policy
 Objective 1: Promote public awareness and
improve stakeholder understanding of the causes
and effects of climate change
Strategies:
 Determine the public's level of understanding of climate
change issues
 Highlight causes GHG and impacts of climate change
 Explain the concepts of climate change mitigation and
adaptation
 Conduct public awareness programs – climate change
adaptation day; educational/promotional programmes,
seminars & workshops; incorporation into curriculum
National Climate Change Policy
 Objective 2: Strengthen the management of
climate change information
Strategies:
 Collect and compile climate change (CC) information for
national planning and development;
 Analyze CC information for stakeholders’ understanding
and use;
 Carry out research on causes, effects and impacts of CC;
 Complete Second National Communication Project
National Climate Change Policy
 Objective 3: Build capacity on effective national
response to climate change
Strategies:
 Involvement in UNFCCC negotiations and negotiators’
training
 Conduct capacity building initiatives – workshops,
seminars, consultations and projects with communities
 Build capacity in financing and budget of Climate
Change Programs
National Climate Change Policy
 Objective 4 – Implement mitigation measures to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions causing climate
change
Strategies:
 Work closely with different sectors to monitor GHG
 Update the GHG inventories
 Explore Samoa’s involvement in carbon trading
 Promote CDM projects to reduce GHG emissions
 Promote mitigation actions in sectors including energy,
buildings, transportation, waste, etc.
 Promote energy efficiency
 Develop renewable energy – hydro, solar
Climate Change Adaptation Projects
 NAPA 1 – Climate change adaptation (CCA) in health and
agriculture sectors – USD2 million
 NAPA 2 (MNRE/LMD) – CCA in the coastal sector -
USD0.8 million
 NAPA 3 – CCA in the forestry sector - USD2.4 million
 NAPA 4 - CCA in water, planning, fire and tourism sectors
- AUD2.15 million
 GEF 5 Land Degradation Project - USD5 million
Climate Change Adaptation Projects
 NAPA 6 - CCA in the tourism sector –
USD1 million
 NAPA 7 - Adaptation in health, disaster and water sectors
– USD15-25 million (to be confirmed)
 Forestry and Protected Area Management –
USD 1.3 million
 Agroforestry Project - AUD10 million (to be confirmed)
 JICA - Forest Conservation - USD2.5 million
 Samoa PPCR Pilot - USD20 million
 COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE
MANAGEMENT PLANS (CIM Plans)
 Vision: Resilience - Coastal Infrastructure and Communities
Resilient to Natural Hazards
 Identify the need for Coastal Infrastructure
Management (CIM) Plans
 Reviewed in 2006
 Extended to areas beyond the coast where
infrastructure is vulnerable
 Integration of sustainable resource management and
emergency management principles
Issues to Take Forward
 Continue implementing the NAPAs
 Accessibility to donor funds, and funding mechanisms
under UNFCCC (LDCF, SCCF, AF), others
 Incorporating NAPA and climate change issues into
national planning and next national development strategy
 Continued involvement in climate issues at all levels
(international, regional, national, community)
 Political commitment and responsibility
 Continue to pursue windows in financial and technical
resources
CCA Tools in Samoa
 Climate Early Warning System (CLEWS)
 SRIM
 Samoa Forest Resource Information System
(SamFRIS)
 IFES, PGEP
 CDM, LULUCF, REDD
 NAP, NIP, NBSAP, KBA Gap Analysis
 Sustainable Management Plan – legally binding
 Watershed Management Plan – legally binding
Institutional Framework – Ministry of Natural
Resources & Environment – Climate Change

Office of CEO

Corporate Services

Legal Services Renewable Energy - Mitigation

Water Resources
Environment Land Management Technical Services Forestry Meteorology

Weather & Forecast Hydrology Geophysics Climate Services Climate Change Geology

Disaster Management
In Samoa, we say,
FAAFETAI TELE LAVA!
Thank you!