Overcoming Barriers to Accessing Climate Knowledge for Women in Samoa and Vanuatu

Presenters: Alison Shereda, MS (SusDev & EJ); Anne Olsen, MS (SusDev, EJ); Carmen Wagner, MS (EJ), MPP; Claire Doyle, MS (SusDev, EJ); Emily Adrid, MS (SusDev, EJ); Lavanya Gauri Pandit (BEC, EPP)

Advisor: Dr. Avik Basu

Location: Samoa and Vanuatu

Clients: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Australia Pacific Climate Partnership (APCP)

Because Pacific islands are disproportionately exposed to climate risks, climate information systems (CIS) are necessary for resilience and disaster risk reduction. Climate information systems help address climate risk by translating and disseminating climate-related and other relevant information, using technical weather and climate information to reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience to climate hazards. However, not all end-users in the Pacific are able to access and utilize these systems. 

We aim to identify needs, challenges, and barriers in Samoa and Vanuatu regarding accessing, disseminating, and utilizing information from CIS services and early warning systems, as well as identify best practices—both from Samoa and Vanuatu, as well as other contexts—in disseminating relevant and usable climate information to knowledge users. We interviewed stakeholders and conducted a literature review to understand existing barriers, how to better disseminate CIS, and increase their usability in Samoa and Vanuatu. 

Based on our interviews in Samoa, we found that the majority of NGOs and community members highlighted cultural, language, logistical, and resource barriers with regard to CIS, whereas government officials mainly discussed resource barriers. Based on interviews with stakeholders in Vanuatu, there are deliberate efforts being made to improve accessibility, uptake, and usability of CIS by those at the ‘last mile’, largely due to the GCF-funded VanKIRAP project. Interviewees outlined barriers to CIS production and dissemination, including cultural, logistic, language, and resource barriers. We conclude with a list of recommendations to improve the accessibility and usability of CIS through co-production, inclusive dissemination, and capacity building.