As experience with both disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) grows, there is increasing recognition that these two fields share a common focus: reducing the vulnerability of communities and contributing to sustainable development. The high level of climate-related risks in the Pacific, make DRR and CCA key policy goals. The objective of this study is to provide an analysis of the current level of integration of DRR and CCA in the region, with an emphasis on the policy and institutional environment.
Asia-Pacific actions to address climate change will have global impact
Jakarta -- Countries in Asia and the Pacific are at a crossroads and must now strike a balance between rising prosperity and rising emissions. Their success or failure will have repercussions worldwide, predicts a new report released today by the United Nations Development Programme.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr today announced the introduction of a Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework which will guide the growth of the Australian aid budget over the next four years.
'Australia's commitment to international development efforts is contributing to real results,' Mr Carr said.
'Poverty is decreasing in every region of the world, but more remains to be done.
This report covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2011
Programme outcome
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Asia Pacific zone office continues to support its regional and country offices as well as the 37 national societies in the zone in building stronger and more resilient communities, improving and assisting in preparedness, knowledge-sharing and response to disasters as well as health and care challenges.
Progress made since the 2008 Office of Development Effectiveness report
Mary Ellsberg, Brian Heilman, Sophie Namy, Manuel Contreras, Robin Hayes
2012
This report builds on an earlier report published in 2008 by the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) of AusAID that assessed current approaches to addressing violence against women and girls in five of Australia’s partner countries: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Timor-Leste.
HANOI (AlertNet) – In the male-dominated culture of the Pacific islands to the north and east of Australia, women’s voices are rarely heard. Men make the decisions and women tend to the children and prepare food.
Yet most predictions say it is women and children who will suffer the most from the impacts of climate change.
Coastal communities living in Melanesia, which includes the Solomons, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu, are already facing rises in sea levels which could affect their livelihoods, food security and ultimately lead to their permanent displacement.
Up to 1.5 million people died from Tuberculosis (TB) in 2010—mostly in developing countries. In the same year, there were an estimated 8.8 million new TB cases with more than half of these cases occurring in the Asia Pacific region. Yet the disease is both preventable and treatable.
World TB Day, on 24 March, acknowledges the devastating impact this disease continues to have on people around the world.
The benevolent spirit that unites Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) members could not have been better exemplified at a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu, His Excellency Sato Kilman, for the Fiji delegation on Monday, March 12, 2012.
The delegation, which was led by the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama were taken by surprise when PM Kilman donated a cheque of 5 million vatu (FJ$83,640.00) to the Prime Minister as his Government’s donation towards the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for those affected by the recent floods.
The APRC Annual Report 2011 showcases our impact over the year highlighting results in priority areas of work, including: MDG acceleration and social protection; gender equality; climate change and crisis resilience. Finding effective approaches to these complex issues required thinking outside of the thematic silos and combining the knowledge and expertise of all APRC practice teams.
A sixth-month downward slide in food prices came to an end in January as the FAO Food Price Index rose for the first time since July 2011. FAO analysts cited poor weather as the possible main factor. The Index stood at 214, a 4 point or 2 percent increase over December. Nonetheless, food prices were still 7 percent below the levels recorded in January 2011. The increase was propelled by rising prices in every commodities group measured by FAO, with oils and fats recording the largest increases.
This report is produced by OCHA in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It was issued by the OCHA Pacific office. It covers the period from 10 to 17 February. Unless there are significant new development this will be the last report on this event.
I. HIGHLIGHTs/key priorities
• TC Jasmine caused minor damage in Vanuatu’s TAFEA province, mainly to agriculture and water systems, as assessed by members of the Vanuatu Humanitarian Team.
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:
Tropical Cyclone Warning Number 14 issued by the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department, Port Vila at 2:47pm VUT Wednesday 8 February 2012 for Tafea Province.
Tropical Cyclone Jasmine passed close to Tafea Province on 10th February 2012. The islands that were reporting some sort of damages done by this cyclone were Tanna and Aneityum.
These are the islands which still have communication linkages using the mobile networks. The NDMO could not establish communication with Futuna and Aniwa islands.
Initial damage reports were coming in from different sources and this information needed to be verified by an independent source and therefore the NDMO organize a rapid technical assessment team from Port Vila.
Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office has spent the last few days trying to determine the extent of damage caused by Cyclone Jasmine last week .
The Tafea Province in the south has been at the centre of concern.
Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office says any decision to declare a disaster situation would be made after they assess the report of damage in the affected areas.
Presenter: Joanna McCarthy
Speaker: Philip Meto from Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office
Cyclone Jasmine has left Vanuatu waters and is heading south into the open ocean, after leaving a trail of destruction in it's wake.
Shadrack Welegtabic from Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office, said once air and ground damage assessments are completed, work will begin on getting aid to the southern islands most severely affected.
He told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat says while aerial photgraphs suggest crops such as casava and banana have been damaged, there's no immediate threat to food security.
Cyclone Jasmine has left Vanuatu waters and is heading south into the open ocean, after leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Shadrack Welegtabic from Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office says once air and ground damage assessments are completed, work will begin on getting aid to the southern island's most severely affected areas.
Presenter: Bruce Hill
Speaker: Shadrack Welegtabic, Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office
