Strategy to help disaster response
IN a move to tackle the looming threat of tropical cyclones head-on, the Government has embraced an innovative strategy.
With the endorsement of the Anticipatory Action Framework for Tropical Cyclones, Fiji is blazing a trail in proactive disaster response and climate adaptation.
Powered by UN support and a coalition of agencies, this initiative signals a shift towards preemptive measures to safeguard vulnerable communities from the ravages of the Climate Crisis.
Dirk Wagener, the UN resident coordinator for Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, hailed the collaborative initiative as a testament to the efficacy of proactive measures in tackling the multifaceted challenges posed by climate-related disasters.
Anticipatory Action (AA) is heralded as a proactive approach to mitigating humanitarian impacts before they escalate. This innovative concept is increasingly recognised and adopted globally across humanitarian aid, climate change, disaster, and climate finance sectors.
“The humanitarian system must be as anticipatory as possible, and only as reactive as necessary,” Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Sakiasi Ditoka said.
Fiji emerges as a trailblazer in the Pacific region, pioneering a collective AA framework for tropical cyclones. Leveraging existing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) frameworks, the initiative enables timely actions and financing triggered by forecasted hazards, shifting from reactive to proactive response strategies.
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are spearheading the pilot project in collaboration with relevant ministries and UN partners.
The trigger mechanism, developed by the OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data, the Fiji Meteorological Services (FMS), and the NDMO, will activate assistance packages upon forecasted cyclones meeting predefined criteria. The AA project will be triggered by a tropical cyclone that is forecasted by the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Nadi to be a: ■ Category 4 or 5 while within 250 km of Fiji (The category in the Australian scale, corresponding to 10-minute sustained wind speeds of >107 kn for Cat 5, 86-107 kn for Cat 4, and 6485 kn for Cat 3), or
■ Category 3, 4, or 5 while making landfall in Fiji.
Upon evaluation of tropical cyclone track forecasts by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Nadi, assistance packages including cash aid, hygiene kits, shelter-strengthening materials, and resources for vulnerable populations will be distributed preemptively.
Early warning messages will also be disseminated to guide communities in preparing for impending cyclones.
UN agencies involved in the initiative, including UNDRR, WFP, FAO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, IOM, and WHO, will collaborate with ministries, local NGOs, and the Fiji Red Cross to implement anticipatory activities.
Fiji’s adoption of the Anticipatory Action Framework underscores a proactive approach towards disaster resilience, setting a precedent for the effective management of climaterelated risks in the region and beyond.