Regional Workshop on

Responding to Climate Change in

the Pacific:
Moving from Strategy to Action

Otheniel Tangianau
Acting Secretary
Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
1. Main Climate Change Related Issues
in the Cook Islands

o Issues that can be seen and noticed

o Increase in cyclone frequency
o Increasing cyclones ratings
o Prolonged drought periods
o Changing rainfall patterns affecting water
supply
 Increase in cyclone frequency
In 2005, four cyclones hit the Cook Islands in 6 weeks:
these are tropical cyclones Meena, Nancy, Olaf, Percy

Pukapuka Islands after TC. Percy Mangaia Island after TC Meena

Increasing cyclone category rating
Aitutaki Islands after cyclone Pat, February, 2010
 Cyclone impacts – TC Meena (2005)

Mauke harbour Mangaia Airport, 15 masl

 Storm surges
Pukapuka Islands tropical cyclone Percy (2005) :
All of the taro crops were destroyed
 Storm surges – TC Percy (2005)
It took 4 years for the swamp to support replanting, for which
planting materials had to be brought in from outside.
 Prolonged drought conditions

Flooded taro plantations Dry taro swamplands

Changing rainfall patterns affecting water supply
Avana and Avatiu Intakes on Rarotonga – 2009 drought
2. Country’s Response

 Climate change policies

 National Climate Change Strategies
 National Climate Change Action Plan
 Institutional frameworks
 Climate change projects
 Financial support
Climate Change Policies
 There is NO clear policy direction on climate
change in the Cook Islands.
 Policies are reactive and are sometimes made as
a result of extreme events, e.g., water tanks
subsidies for Rarotonga during the 2009 drought.
 Some projects that are being delivered occur in
response to community needs and as part of
normal government project cycles, e.g., OI water
tanks upgrade.
 There are also policies in some sectors that
complement climate change initiatives, e.g.,
renewable energy policies.
National Climate Change Strategies
 The National Environment Forum proposes the following
strategies:
 Adaptation
 Ecosystem approach
 Disaster risk management
 Economic diversification
 Climate proofing infrastructure
 Technology transfer
 Mitigation
 Energy efficiency
 Renewable energy
 Research
 Data collection and sharing
 Hazard mapping and GIS
 Risks assessment
 Education
 Water and Food security
Institutional Framework
 National Climate Change Country Team
 Established with HOMs only to oversee Initial National
Communications; later expanded to include civil societies, thus
will continue to be the main body to oversight climate change
initiatives
 Ad hoc operations
 Climate change activities undertaken, driven and housed by
sectors
 While climate change is identified as part of overall
government budgetary policies, budgetary support to Ministries
are generally lacking or get considered as afterthought.
 Ministries pick and choose which issue to tackle, based on the
how the issue relates to their functions thus leading to gaps in
delivery.
 Government resource to operationalize and mainstream
climate change in government programs
Financial Support

 The government of Cook Islands, as part of its development

programs, has funded a number projects which complement
climate change initiatives.
 Donors and partners have also provided financial support to
climate change initiatives for:
 Technical support and capacity building;

 Establishment of weather monitoring stations and data

gathering;
 Disaster preparedness and management; and

 Community consultations and engagement.

 However, MORE SUPPORT is REQUIRED.

Climate Change Projects
 Pacific Islands Climate Prediction Project
 Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project
 Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC)
 Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)
 Others:
 CLIMAP
 CPDAMPIC
 CEAL/CRRP
3. Assistance and Support
 Technical assistance
 Capacity to develop project proposals to meet
donor requirements
 Access to technical institutions for climate
change research activities, especially on:
 Infrastructure designs for climate proofing
initiatives
 Modelling of adaptation work on the ground

 Livelihood support
Assistance and Support (continued)
 Better, easier and quicker access to financial
resources
 Financial resources are generally tied up with
numerous donor processes.
 Donor harmonization
 Direct donor-to-government financing for:
 Infrastructure improvement projects
 Environment protection
 Food security
 Agriculture
 Marine Resources
 Water Supply
 Community protection through disaster response and
recovery activities