Box culverts contractors for Pilot project road.

On June 27, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure had a meeting with the contractors who will build the box culverts.Four contractors are to build a total of eleven culverts on the road being climate proofed,. The first one will be finished by July and the last one is expected to be finished by January of 2014.

 

The contractors meet with DT&I Director, Mr. Luckymis, project engineer, Mr. Bahillo and FSM PACC Administrative Officer, Mr. Jose.

FSM PACC Project Display at the 2013 State Fair

On June 27, Kosrae had their State Fair. Produce from farmers, fishermen and handicraft makers was displayed to the general public. Environmental awareness exhibits by the Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority KIRMA, Quarantine Office, the NGO Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization as well as the FSM PACC Project were visited by the Fair visitors.  FSM PACC booth had information on the project, the pilot road, adaptation strategies and two comic books. Many young people did not recognized some of the damage done by storm waves and coastal erosion on the island.

FSM PACC display at the State Fair

 

 

Regulations for Development Projects and Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines Workshop

A workshop to review the proposed amendments to be incorporated in the Regulations for Developing Projects and for finalizing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guidelines for Kosrae State was held on June 18-19. The FSM PACC Project and the Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority (KIRMA) invited stakeholders to review the proposed amendments  to the Regulations for Development projects and the  EIA guidelines. On both documents climate change impacts are to be incorporated in the Kosrae State Code as required by Kosrae State 10-2.

A total of twenty six stakeholders attended the workshop and included representation from the island Mayors, Kosrae State Legislature, Housing program, the Attorney General, Permitting Office, Foreign Investing and NGO’s.  These documents states the impact reducing requirements for developing projects ranging from private houses to big infrastructure projects (either government or foreign companies) that new development should follow.  Coastal development will be limited by new distance from high water level mark as suggested by coastal engineer Mr. Doug Ramsey. KIRMA’s Environmental lawyer, Ms. Emily Gibson, was in charge of presenting the information to the participants, which gave their feedback back to her to integrate it to both documents.

                                                      Stakeholders at the workshop

 

 

 

.Teachers learn about the FSM PACC Project

The FSM PACC project team took the opportunity of a gathering of teachers to raise awareness of a teaching tool on climate change. The team also talked to the group about PACC project activities in Kosrae, which include engineering coastal roads to protect them from sea level rise and other climate change impacts.

The Kosrae Department of Education held its Annual Conference during the week of June 11-14th. About 45 teachers and members of the  general public were  present. The FSM PACC Project to gave two presentations:   “Adapting to a Changing Climate Flipchart as a tool for teaching about Climate Change”, and “Loss and Damage associated with Coastal Hazards as a result of Climate Change”.

 FSM PACC project assistant, Carlos Jose Cianchini, introduced the Adapting to a Changing Climate flipchart as an aid to teaching about climate change, and demonstrated it to the teachers.  The flipchart was developed by the Micronesia Conservation Trust, The Nature Conservancy, The Micronesia Challenge and the Pacific Islands Managed and Protected Area Community, and available to teachers from  the Department of Education. There is also a  booklet  which explains how to use the flipchart, and can be downloaded at http://pcep.dsp.wested.org/content_items/1524355.

 Mr. Cianchini also informed the teachers of other sources of information available at the PACC office. An information board was also displayed with information about the FSM PACC Project and awareness materials.

The second presentation was by the FSM Project Coordinator, Mr. Simpson Abraham.  He talked about the Loss and Damage project on Kosrae.  Under this project, almost 400 households were interviewed about their experience with coastal erosion and how they have dealt with it.  Lack of expertise and money were the main reasons given for the damage caused to their properties . Mr. Abraham also used aerial and satellite images to illustrate the extent of coastal erosion on the last seventy years, and described plans to rehabilitate the existing farm roads further inland to begin relocation of infrastructure needed before people moving upland.

                                 Mr. Simpson Abraham giving his presentation to Kosrae teachers.

                                                          FSM PACC Project Display