Publication

Pacific countries are taking action at the national, regional and international levels to address climate change. As set out in the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change 2006‑2015, building resilience to climate change is a key priority for Pacific countries, particularly as some climate change impacts are already being felt in the region.

Decisions and actions to reduce vulnerability in the Pacific must be taken now, but a number of scientific, geopolitical and economic uncertainties make this difficult. The scientific uncertainty begins with a lack of detailed observational data essential for current climate projections for the Pacific. The long-term projections include broad ranges for the likelihood, timing and extent of impacts. The diversity of Pacific geography suggests that local impacts will vary greatly across the region.

Difficulty in decision making under uncertainties is not new. The challenge is to reduce the extent and causes of uncertainty and build on existing knowledge, available expertise, institutions, community networks and infrastructure to allow positive outcomes in an unclear future.