To carry out a gap analysis on loss and damage issues in a cross-section of th Pacific Island Countries as a starting point to inform the development of a programme of activities on loss and damage at the regional level. Countries will include Samoa (volcanic island with Polynesian ethnicity), Vanuatu (dispersed chain of volcanic islands with Melanesian ethnicity) and Kiribati (dispersed atoll islands with Micronesian ethnicity). The gap analysis will focus on identifying the main issues with respect to loss and damage in these countries with a view to establishing information, knowledge and capacity needs, including perceptions at community levels on climate change loss and damage. The national studies will begin to add much need substance to the regional and international discussions on loss and damage, as well as assisting with shaping the contours of a regional programme of support. They will do this by contributing finer-scale, nationally-relevant data thereby ensuring that any planned regional level activities are well-grounded in national realities.
It is proposed that the national studies include a focus on key sectors in the context of small island developing states, such as environment, fisheries, agriculture, tourism, social and private sectors. Of particular interest to SIDS is the issue of vulnerable groups and their dependence on ecosystems, the nature and extent of non-economic losses, patterns of migration, displacement and human mobility.
The outputs of the gap analysis will be shared with the Regional Working group on Loss and Damage which has the mandate of coordinating loss and damage work in the Pacific Island Region and informing delegations representing PICs at the UNFCCC negotiations. This will facilitate the uptake of the information and data rising from the studies and to ensure that it feeds into, and is aligned with, the climate change negotiation process. The outputs of the research will also feed into the design of the anticipated GIZ support to the region on the issue of loss and damage.