Practical Solutions for Reducing Community Vulnerability to Climate Change in the Federated States of Micronesia

Located in the Western Pacific, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is comprised of four states: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae. Its population of over 100,000 people is largely dependent on ecosystem services (e.g. nearshore fisheries, coastal protection) for their livelihoods, both for subsistence and as sources of incomes. More than 80% of communities in the FSM are vulnerable to sea-level rise and flooding, given that most villages and settlements are situated in either coastal areas or in areas around rivers and streams. Furthermore, clear declines in fishing success have been observed, caused by increasing subsistence and commercial harvesting, the demise of traditional management over the last decades and the impacts of climate change. These trends threaten long-term sustainability of these fisheries and the fundamental role they provide for local food and economic security.

The overall goal of the multisector adaptation project is to build the ecological, social and economic resilience of communities in the FSM through practical solutions for reducing community vulnerability to climate change stressors. The project aims to ensure that all four State Governments and the National Government in the FSM have the mechanisms in place to develop and successfully implement a robust nearshore fisheries management and nationwide protected areas network inclusive of proper enforcement and sustainable finance mechanisms. The project also seeks to provide communities with the resources and support needed to implement successful eco-based adaptation actions to protect their marine ecosystems and increase resilience to climate change impacts.

The project consists of three components:

Component 1: Natural assets or ecosystems under protected area management and near-shore fisheries are adequately protected/rehabilitated
Component 2: Community-level adaptive capacity strengthened to address climate change threats
Component 3: Knowledge Management system developed to facilitate future scaling up and replication of effective MPA management and community-led ecosystem-based adaptation actions

Project Documents