Pillar 4.
Disasters and Climate
Change Resilience
Resilient national systems for disaster preparedness,
response and recovery; and for climate change adaptation.
Vanuatu is the world’s most vulnerable
country to climate and disaster risk,
according to a 2016 United Nations
report. This poses our highest and
most enduring security threat, with
major implications for our society,
environment, agriculture and fisheries
and the economy more generally. Vanuatu
lives with cyclones, volcanic eruptions,
earthquakes and tsunamis, and storm
surges, landslides, flooding and droughts.
With its limited resources and island
geography Vanuatu is also potentially
vulnerable to major man-made disasters,
particularly involving vessels and aircraft.
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Changing weather patterns, which give
rise to an increase in natural disasters,
are widely attributed to climate change,
which is of grave global and regional
concern and was recognised by Pacific
Islands Forum Leaders in 2018 as “the
single greatest threat to the livelihood,
security and well-being of Pacific
people”. Climate change is also a “threat
multiplier” which can exacerbate a
range of existing stress situations and
lead to social tensions.Learning from
Cyclone Pam, natural disaster response
and recovery mechanisms, including
Part 2.
Building a happy and secure future
the National Disaster Management
Office have been upgraded. Effective
coordination between the many
stakeholders in response and recovery
operations continues to improve. The
Government gives high priority to climate
In addition to the human toll, the
economic cost of natural disasters
can be devastating. The impact of
Cyclone Pam in 2015 exceeded
60 per cent of GDP, derailing the
nation’s budget and fiscal position.
Overall, the impact of natural
disasters in Vanuatu is equivalent
to the loss on average of 6.6% per
annum (World Bank).
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