Niue’s Joint National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change

Niue is a self-governing nation in free association with New Zealand, located partway between Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands. Niue’s economy is heavily dependent on support from New Zealand and aid accounts for 70% of Niue’s GDP. Niue has a population of approximately 1625 people, making it the world’s least populated state. Niue is vulnerable to climate risks such as Tropical Cyclones (TCs) and droughts; geological risks such as earthquakes and tsunami; and human-caused risks such as disease outbreaks and contamination of the water supply. As the world’s largest elevated coral atoll, its rocky and rugged coastline has steep cliffs which offer marginal protection from risks such as tsunami. However as experienced in 2004 with the category 5 Tropical Cyclone Heta, TC-induced waves have the capacity to overtop the steep cliffs and wash boulders inland up to +25 m above sea level. Niue’s isolation, small population, reliance on donor aid, limited water resources and marginal agricultural potential also contribute to its overall risk profile. Niue’s Joint National Action Plan (JNAP) for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management provides a three year plan of action to address existing gaps relating to vulnerability to climate change impacts and disasters. Developed in partnership with Pacific regional organisations (SPC/SOPAC and SPREP), the Government of Niue have identified five priority areas of attention, which form the goals in the JNAP Implementation Matrix ...