SPC Geoscience Division

The Government of Kiribati through the Office of the President requested SOPAC support to review of its National DRM governance arrangements this year. From 8th – 14th June, 2010 a SOPAC team comprising of Mosese Sikivou (Manager CRP), Tony Madigan (DRM Consultant) and Noa Tokavou (Disaster Management Adviser) visited Kiribati in order to establish a process for the review, undertake initial consultations with community and government representatives and collate relevant data and information. A meeting of the National Disaster Council was convened on 10th June at Tarawa expressly for the purpose of consultation in relation to the review.

The initial review mission revealed that there is a need to improve/strengthen the understanding of the links between disasters and development and to integrate disaster risk considerations more prominently within the development planning process across all levels – local (Islands Councils) sectoral and national level as well as to improve partnerships and coordination between Government ministries and non government organisations.  It is necessary to strengthen the institutional capacity of key technical agencies such as the Ministry of Works, NDMO, Met Office, Ministry of Finance (National Economic Planning Office) etc. to facilitate the increased performance of responsibilities in relation to a new DRM regime.

The second country engagement tentatively is scheduled for mid August and is expected to result in the presentation of revised DRM governance arrangements to the Kiribati Government.

In response to the recent negative press, particularly from the media outside of the Pacific islands, regarding the vulnerability of our islands to climate change and sea-level rise, the Director of the SOPAC Secretariat, Dr. Russell Howorth, convened a press conference to correct this misconception.

Specifically, these media (and others) have made reference to a recently published article in an international scientific journal co-authored by a senior staff member of the SOPAC Secretariat. Copies of the brief prepared by the senior staff member by way of a response were circulated. The response emphasises that the article addresses the ongoing change in shape, size, and position on the reef platform of 27 low-lying coral islands on four atolls over the past 19-61 years based upon studies of historic air photographs and recent high-resolution satellite imagery. In no way does it make sweeping conclusions that the vulnerability of our islands is reducing particularly with regard to predictions about future impacts of sea-level change.