The project's purpose is to strengthen the capacity of PICs to address existing and emerging challenges with regard to the risks posed by natural hazards and related disasters, while maximising synergies between Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). The high vulnerability of Pacific Island ACP States (PICs) to a number of environmental and natural hazards is well known. This vulnerability is further exacerbated by their small land areas as well astheir narrow, often subsistence-based fragile economies, coupled with physical distance both within and between states.
Current analysis suggests that PICs remain disaster prone and that theeconomic impacts of such natural events pose severe development constraints. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures reduce vulnerability and prevent the loss of lives, assets and livelihoods thereby reducing the exposure of governments to divert substantial national resources from development to relief, recovery and reconstruction when disasters strike and to build safety and resilience of their communities. In this regard, the project will mainstream DRR/Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) at national and regional levels, filling in the gap between humanitarian assistance and development as well as by serving as an anchor initiative to leverage DRR coordinated efforts in the region and integrating DRR and CCA into national and sector strategies.