Micronesia pursue common approach between disaster risk and climate change
A joint Environment Summit and Disaster Risk Management Platform is being held this week (15-19 August) in Weno, Chuuk, to address challenges related to the impacts of disasters throughout the Federated States of Micronesia.
The Office of Environment and Emergency Management (OEEM) is leading the event, joining these critical topics together to ensure a common focus and agreement is made on a way forward to address the vulnerabilities communities face in terms of disaster.
This timely national event is supported by the European Union’s €19.37million Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific Project (BSRP) implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC) along with OEEM and the International organisation for Migration (IOM).
This Summit is the culmination of years of work beginning with a National Integrated Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change policy, adopted in 2013. This was followed by a Joint State Action Plan for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change developed by the four states of FSM.
This is the first real opportunity to bring together all the key stakeholders from all states including representatives from the national and state governments, international and regional organizations, development partners, and civil society organisations such as the women associations and persons with disabilities, ensuring the way forward is diverse and inclusive of all sectors of the community.
OEEM Director, Andrew Yatilman, said that the FSM Government is committed to address the impacts of climate change and disasters to minimize hardship at community level. He further thanked the partners for their continued support in this important conference.
The Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific, Christoph Wagner said, ''This event will lead to clear and inclusive plans on how to reduce the negative impact of disaster and climate change on communities.
“The EU commends the work of the FSM government for leading the way in creating a diverse and long-term plan that will lead to safer and more resilient communities in FSM,” he said.
SPC’s Disaster Risk Management Officer in the North Pacific, Noa Tokavou, will help facilitate the event and said “this is a momentous occasion for the government, community of FSM and the partners involved as it directly supports the long-term prosperity of the country for its people against the risk of disaster into the future.”