Risk Wise

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Tuvalu Red Cross: joining forces

to tackle climate change in the Pacific

Rebecca McNaught, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

& the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre

he scientific evidence on climate change is stronger than

ever: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC) released its Fourth Assessment Report in early

2007, stating that climate change is now unequivocal. It

confirms that extremes are on the rise and that the most vulner-

able people, particularly in developing countries, face the brunt

of impacts. This provides many challenges and opportunities for

action in the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement.

Climate change has very real local impacts and the time to act is now.

It gives us a good reason to assess gaps and opportunities for disas-

ter risk reduction, and avenues for partnership for greater efficiencies.

Dialogue and cooperation between the climate change and disaster

management sectors is necessary to enable practitioners to under-

stand and address the nature of climate risk with communities.

This case study focuses on Tuvalu, a remote Pacific island nation

often associated with the rising impact of climate change. Tuvalu Red

Cross Society, aided by enthusiastic volunteers and strong partner-

ships with government and civil society, have been taking action

through risk reduction and disaster preparedness to lessen the worst

effects of global warming and other challenges facing the population.

Tuvalu

Tuvalu is made up of nine tiny islands in the southwest Pacific,

stretching 1,000 km from north to south and with a total landmass

of just 26 square kilometres. The capital Funafuti is situated on a

coral atoll approximately seven kilometres long and 400 metres at its

widest point, bordered by a turquoise lagoon on one side and open

ocean on the other. It is home to 4,000 of the country’s 11,000

people, vying for space with pigs, vegetable plots, roads, a runway

and other infrastructure. Population density for the whole country

is 378.9 people per square kilometre, higher than in Japan or India.

Medical and government services are all concentrated on Funafuti,

where there is also an outpost of the University of the South Pacific.

Tuvalu is strongly influenced by Polynesian culture. The original

settlers came from Samoa and Tonga over 3,000 years ago. Youth and

women’s groups remain strong and active. Women’s groups facilitate

development work by carrying out skills training to increase house-

hold income. Young people lend a hand by fundraising for small

projects for their island communities and by organizing social gath-

erings.

Many Tuvaluans rely on remittances sent home by seafarers or on

earnings from seasonal work in New Zealand. For others in Tuvalu,

fishing is a major source of income. Only 30 per cent of the popu-

lation have a wage, mainly those working in the govern-

ment sector. The rest survive largely on a subsistence

lifestyle.

Like the rest of the world, Tuvalu is experiencing

rising temperatures. Although temperature records only

date back to 1977, a clear trend is emerging, with a

marked increase in both winter and summer tempera-

tures. Rainfall records, which date back further, show a

decrease in overall rainfall.

Tuvalu’s highest point is just

4.5 metres above sea level. A sea level gauge located on

the wharf at Funafuti has recorded that there are increas-

ingly higher peak sea level events, escalating the risk of

inundation by sea surges.

Apart from its vulnerability to rising sea levels, Tuvalu

is also at risk of cyclones, tsunamis, house fires, drought,

and flooding due to high tides and storm surges. The

outer islands are very isolated, making communications

difficult, if not impossible at times; the country’s two

cargo/passenger boats operate when they can to deliver

essential supplies.

The Tuvalu Red Cross Society was established in 1981,

just after the independence of Tuvalu itself, and has

branches on each of the country’s islands, with around

100 volunteers on Funafuti atoll alone. It is not yet a

fully-fledged National Society, pending recognition and

admission to the International Red Cross and Red

Crescent Movement. In addition to activities related to

climate change and disaster management, its

programmes include HIV/AIDS, blood donor recruit-

ment and life skills training.

Addressing climate change

In 2005, the Tuvalu Red Cross initiated a pilot project on

climate change, in conjunction with the International

Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Pacific

delegation based in Suva. To start with, much groundwork

had to be done to inform other like-minded groups of the

unique role of the Red Cross, with a view to building

future partnerships. The Tuvalu Red Cross now

contributes to the climate change country team, as well

as to the national disaster management working group.

The Tuvalu Red Cross is a founding member of the Tuvalu

Climate Action Network (TuCAN), a joint government-

civil society body initiated by the World Wide Fund for