Law and policies that protect the most vulnerable against climate-related disaster risks: Findings and lessons learned from Pacific island countries

Adaptation to a changing climate and the reduction of its destructive effects must be simultaneously addressed at international, regional, national, and local levels. This report first focuses on regional policies currently adopted in the Pacific Islands region, many of whom have been reforming their institutional and normative systems to pursue a more coherent approach to disaster and climate resilience, surveying how they address the role of law and policy-making in favouring holistic and risk-informed measures at the national and sub-national levels. An analysis of the national practices of Pacific island countries (PICs) in regards to the development of national adaptation and DRR strategies is also provided. The report includes a section on Fiji as country case-study (p. 36 of full report).

Suggested improvements are organized into four main categories (pp. 7-9 of executive summary):

• Institutional improvements;
• Policy improvements;
• Legislative improvements; and
• Law and policy improvements on the protection and inclusion of vulnerable groups.