National Youth Symposium on Climate Change

Youths in Vanuatu getting ready for action against Climate Change

National Youth Climate Change symposium is jointly organized by the Government of Vanuatu through the National Advisory Board (NAB) in partnership with many other civil societies and international organizations including Save the Children, National Youth Council, 350 Vanuatu, Care International, Wan Smol Bag theater (WSB), VCAN, Oxfarm and SPC-GIZ Climate Change Adaptation Program.

Vanuatu is a small island developing nation vulnerable to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Sea level rise, more regular extremes in weather patterns causing drought and heavier rainfalls as well as the likelihood of higher intensity of cyclones all present challenges that will require people to prepare for uncertainty and be able to adapt.

Children and young people have the potential to make a very real contribution to climate change responses and disaster risk reduction.

The picture on the right shows youth participated during the Climate Change Symposium on a post with their planting materials "Vertiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides)" for their gardening to prevent soil erosion and coastal erosion when they get back to their communities.

Highlight Activities 
1. Debate
On the first Day of the conference seen the youths being on a panelist to discuss on the topic "Traditional knowledge is Compatible with Scientific knowledge of Weather and Climate" which let youths on a basis of modern and traditional competition to give possible and straight weather and climate indicator's in their communities.

"Go For" Challenger sharing his experience on a traditional perspective
 in his community of Torres Island 

The youth participants were given a chance to speak of their experience on accessing the information's on whether traditional indicators or through radio and other western technology and how accurate is the information's being used the people of Vanuatu.
In fact both sides mention positive comments and share experiences on the information's access for their daily activities within their communities to do gardening, fishing and livestock.

In the end, comments were made clear as youths sharing their experience on the effects of climate change in their specific area and communities, thus panelist who also are specialist made no charges and come up with final key options for youths to make decision's so agreements was to combine both traditional knowledge and scientific knowledge as changes of the climate is seen realistic and shift calendars from normal existent.
                                                                                                         

Vanuatu Rainfal Network (VRN)

 Workshop to upgrade skills and knowledge of Rainfall collectors on Climate, Climate Change and Disaster  Risk Reduction (DRR)issues in Vanuatu

Agriculture College, Luganville, Santo

The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD) and the National Advisory Board on Climate Change & Disaster Risk Reduction (NAB), has host a 5 day workshop for over 80 Rainfall collectors on the island of Santo from 14 -18 October 2013. The workshop focuses on developing the capacity of rainfall collectors across Vanuatu to collect additional climate change information, strengthen institutional knowledge on climate issues and build data quality control mechanisms for policy development and learn adaptation measures to Agriculture. 

The objective of the workshop is to provide knowledge on climate, climate change and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) issues in Vanuatu. This has also provide an opportunity for rainfall collectors to directly engage with meteorologist, climatologist and other experts in the field of weather, climate and agriculture to share ideas and hands on practice on how to collect important weather variables and adaptation activities.It is also important at this workshop that will also support Vanuatu government capacity for dialogue between scientist and rainfall collectors and provides a platform to enhance national awareness on Climate Change vulnerability and adaptation opportunities.

In 2008, VMGD (Vanuatu Meteorology & Geo-Hazard Department) first established the Vanuatu Rainfall Network (VRN) where currently there are over 80 rainfall  sites established throughout Vanuatu. The rationale behind this activity is to collect rainfall data for these sites for the next 25-30 years and use in the SCOPIC model to run rainfall outlook for specific sites throughout Vanuatu. Currently there is a gap in the geographical spread of the synoptic stations so current seasonal rainfall forecast do not really capture the real rainfall pattern in Vanuatu. Therefore this initiative is to collect rainfall data from all islands and especially from ENSO hotspots to provide early warning to these areas so early response can be taken to minimize impacts of ENSO events.

Youth @ training

As Vanuatu continues to provide seasonal forecast to its inhabitants, it is important that data use in climate models are of quality. Moreover, it is important to collect more than just rainfall data from particular areas especially those that do not require addition meteorological instrument. These data will further provide advantage in carrying research in all corners of Vanuatu.

The main aim of the workshop is to

•          Establishment of a CC and DRR information collection network building on the existing Rainfall Monitoring network,

•          Establishment of channels to disseminate information on CC and DRR to grassroots communities and

•          Increased understanding of members of grassroots communities of how to observe impacts of CC and DRR.

2013 Vanuatu Rainfall Network workshop objectives

Farming Technique & Plot Layout

• Train: Officers to collect and receive quality climate data and Traditional knowledge information
• Train: Officers to better understand the concepts of climate variability/ENSO, climate change and agro-meteorology
• Practice: Proper methods of installing rain gauge, observing and collecting rainfall and other meteorological variables 
• Observe: Some best agricultural adaptation practices
• Utilise: VMGD products for their benefits

2013 Expected Outcomes

The outputs from the workshop will be

Output 1: Vanuatu ENSO timeline with narrative stories and memories

Output 2: FinaliZe Vanuatu Climate Update (VCU) format

Banana Multiplication Technique-Isso N

Output 3: Set up the ENSO text using SMS

Output 4: Finalize and trial TK questionnaire and validation forms

Output 5: Upgrade observation skills and knowledge of rainfall collectors on VMGD issues

Output 6: Finalize Provincial Calenda

Output 7: Concept paper on accessing funding under the Global Climate Services Framework to support further  VRN workshop