PEBACC+: official visit to restoration sites on the Tagabe River in Vanuatu

During her visit to Vanuatu, Mrs. Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited several restoration sites of the Tagabe River and its watershed.

These replanting and revegetation activities were initiated more than 5 years ago thanks to the PEBACC project (2015-2020) implemented by SPREP, and are currently being pursued within the framework of the PACRES (Pacific Climate Change Resilience) project funded by the European Union.

Through the regional project PEBACC+ (Pacific Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change) coordinated by SPREP and funded by the Kiwa Initiative and the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), this work will be strengthened and expanded from 2023 to 2026, in partnership with the government, associations, upstream farmers and coastal communities. This will involve providing various technical and financial support for tree nursery and mangrove planting activities, the creation of buffer zones to combat erosion and flooding, awareness-raising and mobilization of local communities, waste management, and governance for integrated management of the Tagabe River.

The Tagabe River and its watershed provide major environmental services to the communities of the Port Vila area (drinking water supply, protection against erosion and flooding around the banks to the mangroves). The activities envisaged within the framework of the Kiwa PEBACC+ project thus aim to strengthen the climatic resilience of the populations through ecosystem-based adaptation activities.

Many thanks to Mike Waiwai, Director of the Vanuatu Climate Change Department, Judy Kalotap, Head of the Forestry Department's nursery, Bani Arudovo, Patrick Saki Fong and Presley Dovo, in charge of replanting and monitoring operations,for their welcome, to Mathilde Kraft and Nicolas Rocle from SPREP, who accompanied the delegation.