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Federated States of Micronesia pursue a common approach between disaster risk and climate change

Friday, 19 August 2016 08:39
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15 August 2016

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.”

Media contacts

Cindy Ehmes, Assistant Director Environment, Office of Environment and Emergency Management (OEEM), Palikir, POHNPEI, FSM,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,   +691 320 8814

Noa Tokavou, Officer, DRM North Pacific, SPC’s North Pacific Regional Office, Pohnpei, FSM, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , +691 320 7523

Kasim Mohammed Nazeem, Press Information Officer, European Union +679 8672 255 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Background information

The ACP-EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific project (BSRP) is a €19.37million project funded by the European Union and implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC).  The objective of the project is to reduce the vulnerability, as well as the social, economic and environmental costs of disasters caused by natural hazards, thereby achieving regional and national sustainable development and poverty alleviation in ACP Pacific Island States.

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Last Updated on Friday, 19 August 2016 15:16  

Newsflash

The Pacific Regional Consultations on Water and Sanitation are being held at the Tanoa International Hotel, Monday 01-03 July 2013. Countries will be discussing how to progress action on the recent Statement by Pacific Heads of State and Heads of Delegations participating in the 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 19-20 May, 2013.

Michael Pettersen, Director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC), says the Chiang Mai Statement highlights the concern of Pacific Leaders that the whole Pacific region is struggling to meet its Millennium Development Goals relating to water and sanitation.

“This Statement recognises that sustainable water supply and safe sanitation underpins the very feasibility of Pacific Island Countries. It is clear that national and international development goals are unlikely to be met without increased advocacy and financial support for water and sanitation, which will require renewed leadership and investment at the national, regional and international level,” he says.

Mr. Pettersen noted that efforts to improve water and sanitation in the Pacific region are not keeping up with the significant and growing impacts of population growth, urbanization, natural disasters and climate change.

“This weeks’ consultation meeting is designed to help Pacific Island Countries support the development of a revised framework for Water and Sanitation for the region building on work already established through the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Sustainable Water Management which has been in place for the last ten years.