14. Climate Change Country Profile: Samoa

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1 14. Climate Change Country Profile: Samoa 1. Country description 1.1 Geography Located in the south-west Pacific Ocean Consists of four main inhabited and six smaller uninhabited islands Total land area: 2935 km 2 The capital, Apia, is located on the second largest island, Upolu. Figure 1. Map of Samoa 1.2 Demographics Population: in 2001 Population distribution: Approximately 70% of Samoa s population and infrastructure are located in low-lying coastal areas. 1.3 Economic and industrial development characteristics, etc. Main industries: tourism and exports including agriculture, fisheries and forestry products 1.4 Climate (climatic zones, trends in temperature and precipitation) Distinct seasons: wet and warm (November April); dry and cool (May October) Temperature: range from 24 C from 32 C Rainfall and humidity usually high Average annual rainfall: 3000 mm Severe tropical cyclones occur during summer months (December February) Vulnerable to long dry spells that coincide with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomena

2 Table 1. Climate trends Climate event Maximum temperature Minimum temperature Mean temperature Precipitation Trend 0.67 C increase 0.18 C increase 0.59 C increase mm decrease Tropical cyclones: increase in frequency of tropical depressions, gale winds forces and tropical cyclones during the cyclone season (December February) Sea level rise: projection of 3.8 mm per year, which is higher than global projections of 0.9 m 0.88 m between the years 1990 and Burden of climate-sensitive health outcomes 2.1 Data on current climate-sensitive disease burdens Climate-sensitive diseases include heat-related diseases, vectorborne diseases, waterborne diseases, diseases from urban air pollution, and diseases related to extreme weathers such as floods, droughts, windstorms and fires. Major areas of concern for Samoa Vectorborne diseases particularly dengue, filariasis and Leptospirosis Foodborne and waterborne diseases such as typhoid (Figure 2), gastroenteritis and diarrhoea (Figure 3) Acute respiratory infections (account for most in-patient illnesses) Direct injuries including skin diseases Mental illnesses 2

3 Figure 2. Typhoid Figure 1. Number of reported typhoid cases No. of cases Year Figure 3. Gastroenteritis and diarrhoea Figure 2. Reported Number of Gastroenteritis & Diarrhoea N umber of cases Year 2.2 Potential impacts of climate change on health burden, i.e. qualitative and quantitative projections of future health burdens Increased incidences and duration of new and existing climate-related disease outbreaks Wider spread of common mental illnesses Increased occurrences of injuries and skin diseases 3

4 2.3 Information on particularly vulnerable populations Populations vulnerable to the risk of reduced access to health services are: people with poor health status (chronic diseases or illness) people with disabilities (or special needs) people living in remote locations persons not fully involved in village affairs people residing in coastal areas people living in substandard living conditions in the urban areas. 3. National programmes and projects 3.1 Programmes to reduce and/or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions Samoa published its first greenhouse gas inventory in 1999, covering the years The second greenhouse gas inventory has been completed. National Climate Change Policy includes actions for reducing Samoa s greenhouse gas emissions. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has prepared a National Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategy. Ministry of Finance has prepared a National Energy Policy, with provisions for renewable energy. Samoa is part of the Pacific Island Greenhouse Gas Abatement through Renewable Energy Project, which is funded by the Global Environment Facility, through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). The Electric Power Corporation has a series of initiatives underway to cut emissions: - Apolima island solar project - wind power feasibility study - trial study of diesel made from coconut oil - expansion of hydropower - improved supply-side and demand-side energy efficiency. 3.2 Climate change related studies and projects, including their roles in the Second National Communications Samoa submitted its Initial National Communication to the UNFCCC in 1999, which included a section on climate and health. The National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) identifies urgent and immediate actions for climate change adaptation in the health sector. 4

5 A detailed vulnerability and adaptation assessment of the health sector is currently being prepared as part of Samoa s Second National Communication project. The Integrated Climate Change Adaptation in Samoa (ICCAS) project has received preliminary endorsement from the Global Environment Facility. This US$ 2 million project aims to implement health sector actions identified in Samoa s NAPA, along with actions for early warning, agriculture and ecosystem management 3.3 Further data and research needs on potential health impacts of climate change Information is not available. 3.4 Current and expected programmes and activities for adaptation to current and projected climate-related health burdens Health sector activities identified in Samoa s NAPA include: developing a national policy on climate and health developing a research and training unit collecting data and information on climate and health developing climate health application database developing a health services programme for early response to disease outbreaks developing entomological research developing health surveillance systems improving quality of public health care services and implementing health care technology. 4. Institutional organization Key organizations and/or institutions dealing with climate change: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is the lead agency on Samoa s climate change activities. Ministry of Health is responsible for climate change activities in the health sector and is a key member of the National Climate Change Country Team. Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the political focal point for the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol. Ministry of Finance coordinates and administers all funds for climate change projects. Other ministries and agencies are responsible for specific climate change activities relevant to their sector. 5

6 5. Issues and challenges Critical issues and challenges that the country faces in relation to mitigation and adaptation to climate change to reduce health impacts are: commitment to continuously improve surveillance/monitoring systems and systems for disease notification; prioritization of climate change and health awareness programmes and activities in health sector planning and budget; and limited efforts to continuously upgrade and improve knowledge of involved health personnel on the climate change and health issues. 6