RESCCUE : Restoration of ecosystem services and adaptation to climate change

Background

The Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs) are widely regarded as among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including those of ocean acidification.

A major issue for PICTs over the coming decades therefore lies in their capacity to adapt and increase their resilience to such changes. But as greenhouse gases emissions continue almost unabated, the range of adaptation options shrinks, and they become more uncertain and costly. In addition, biodiversity is now a jeopardized asset in the Pacific, which further threatens local livelihoods and the resilience of Pacific communities to climate change.

Pacific Leaders are both committed to act and requiring support to do so, as expressed by the Majuro Declaration for climate leadership (Sept. 2013):

“Climate change has arrived. It is the greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and well-being of the peoples of the Pacific (…). We commit to be climate leaders. To lead is to act. (…) We, the Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, (…) call on our partners to enhance, accelerate and ensure the effective delivery of their support.”

Overall goal

The overall goal of RESCCUE is to contribute to increasing the resilience of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) in the context of global changes. To this end RESCCUE aims at supporting adaptation to climate change (ACC) through integrated coastal management (ICM), resorting especially to economic analysis and economic and financial mechanisms.

Specific objectives

Alongside this overall objective at the regional level, RESCCUE has specific objectives at pilot sites level:

• Strengthen integrated coastal management and adaptation to climate change;
• Strengthen the use of economic analysis for integrated coastal management;
• Ensure economic and financial sustainability of integrated coastal management;
• Facilitate learning, dissemination and replication of experiences gained from pilot sites.