Pilot Project for Climate Resiliense, PPCR

The first week of March, week we received the visit of SPREP’s consultant, Mr. Aaron Buncle.  He came for the PPCR  project  (Pilot Project for Climate Resilience). This project aims to pilot and demonstrate ways in which climate risk and resilience may be integrated into National, State and Sectorial development planning.  Mr.  Buncle met with local agencies and organizations during the week and facilitated a worshop last Friday.  Policy processes were recollected from the participants to fine tune to achieve results. Mr. Buncle is met with  National agencies in Pohnpei during the 3rd week of March.

Mr. Aaron Buncle

 

Another  team of consultants came to Kosrae during the second  week of April  to work on the development of SPC’s Pilot Project for Climate Resilience (PPCR). The objective of this project is to improve the use of local, National and regional knowledge and information on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. This will strengthen the capacity to manage climate change risks to food security and the critical infrastructure. The consultants met with the Governor and the project’s Steering Committee members on Monday. The rest of the week, the consultants met with the different stakeholders from Fisheries, Agriculture, Water and Coastal Zone Management to gather information of current status of work and their needs. Kosrae and Christmas Island were selected among the different countries in the Pacific to carry on this project.

 

The consultants team was composed by Bruce Chapman ( leader), Arthur Webb ( coastal processess), Ian White (Water), Mary Taylor (agriculture) and Ursula        ( fisheries).

 

The Kosrae Shoreline Management Plan – Repositioning for Resilience

Last March 21^st , The Kosrae Shoreline Management Plan, was officially presented to Kosrae Governor Honorable Lyndon H. Jackson. During the closing ceremonies of the 4^th FSM Environmental Conference, Mr. Fenno Brunken of the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ), gave the Governor the document. The new Plan is a revised and updated version of the original one prepared in the year 2000.

On July 2012, a group of consultants came to Kosrae for this project. The consultants were Mr. Douglas Ramsay, a coastal engineer at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in New Zealand; Dr. Arthur Webb, a coastal process advisor with SOPAC and Mr. Fenno Brunken , a CC advisor with GIZ. They met wih the Governor and different stakeholders.

 

During April 2013, Mr. Ramsay came to Kosrae and met with the Governor, his Cabinet, the State Legisature, representatives of the housing and utilities, the engineers and the general public in the five villages. He presented the varied impacts of coastal erosion and some adaptation strategies to make us more resilient to the expected changes in the futures. Sea walls are temporary solutions, a best alternative will be moving inland. Extreme changes are not expected in two generations, but we should nonetheless begin preparing now.

 

The consultants suggested the rehabilitation and improvement of the existing farm roads as an alternative to the threatened coastal road. These roads will be climate proofed with the guidelines to be developed from the FSM PACC Pilot Road Project. Mr. Ramsay based his analysis of the Kosrae’s coastal erosion by his extensive experience on the island from 1998 – 2000, while working for Kosare Resource Management Authority (KIRMA). He prepared the Original Kosrae Shoreline Management Plan of the year 2000.

 

This Management Plan was funded by the German Technical Cooperation Agency, GIZ and SPC North Pacific.

 

 

To download a copy of the Kosrae Shoreline Management Plan, please go to kosraecoast.com

El Nino Signs Detected, Presaging Global Weather Change - Bloomberg

El Nino Signs Detected, Presaging Global Weather Change - Bloohttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-15/el-nino-signs-detected-presaging-global-weather-change.html?cmpid=yhoomberg

Winners of the Song and Art Contests

During the closing Ceremony of the 4th FSM Environmental Conference, the winners of the FSM PACC's Song and Art contest. The theme of both contests was the "Impacts of Climate Change in Kosrae" The winnwer of the song contest was Miss Trisstesa H. Abraham, a 7th grade student of Lelu Elementary School, the second prize went to the Lik Boys Choir from Lelu.

Miss Trisstesa H. Abraham performs the winning song during the Environmental Conference Closing Ceremony.

The winners of the art contest received their prizes the same activity. Four  winning entries were from Utwe Elementary School and one from Sansrik E. S.

The winners of the art contest, from left to right; Mellahlyn, Tamara, Martha, Latisha and Shana.

USGS Team Came to Kosrae to Prepare Landslides Hazards Study.

Kosrae received the visit of a team from the US Geological Survey to prepare a Landslides Hazard Map. The team was in charge of Mr. Edwin Harp. FSM PACC assisstant, Mr. Carlos Cianchini took them to the farm roads where the government plan to relocate the infrastructure and people as an adaptation strategy for the raising sea levels and flooding by storm surges. The USGS team met with the Governor's Cabinet Members to explain the scope of their study. They stayed on the island from February25 until March 4.

Dr. Harp examines the rock and soil at Malem fam roads. 

 

Dr. Harp explais the landslides hazard project to FSM PACC Director, Mr. Simpson Abraham and Disaster Coordination Officer, Mr. Nena William.

Climate Change presentation to Lelu's Elementary School.

On February 20, FSM PACC Project educator, Mr. Carlos Cianchini, gave a presentation on the importance of protected areas to be less vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate. Mrs. Ruthey M. Luckymis, from KIRMA, also gave a presentation on impacts and adaptation to climate change. Six and seventh grade students from Lelu Elementary School attended the presentation. This the second visit to Lelu ES during this month to prepare the students for the art contest on Climate Change impacts.

 

Mr. Carlos Cianchini

 

Mrs. Ruthey M. Luckymis from KIRMA.

Art and Song Contest

The FSM PACC Project has open two contests for the people of Kosrae. An art contest for 6th and 7th grade students, and a song contest for the general public The theme for both contests is "Climate Change Impacts on Kosrae". We aanounced these contests by the local radio station and by the use of flyers distributed around the island. The date line for the art and song submissions was March 3.

A total of seven songs and 58 drawings were submitted. the winners will be presented during the FSM Environmental Summit to be held in Kosrae next week. Mrs Ruthey M. Luckymis from KIRMA, help us with the contest announcement and winners screening.

 

Example of one of the 6th graders drawing.