The USAID Pacific-American Climate Fund (PACAM) awarded a grant to CARE International to increase the resilience and adaptive capacity of 25 communities affected by climate change in the provinces of Tafea and Sanma.

CARE received a $500,000 grant for its project entitled “Getting Ready for Climate Change,” that will raise community awareness and capacity to anticipate, plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change; and strengthen their ability to implement and lead climate change adaptation actions. This includes enhancing livelihoods development and income diversification, food security, natural resource management (including water resource management) and ecosystem management. Project outcomes will include building the climate change knowledge and capacity of 2,500 individuals in 25 communities, engaging up to 14 primary and secondary schools, and providing climate change and adaptation teaching materials for use in the school curriculum and instruction.

Pacific Island nations are among the most vulnerable in the world to the impacts of climate change. The economy of this region depends heavily on aquaculture, tourism, forestry, and agriculture, which are all vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

In March last year, Tropical Cyclone Pam caused widespread destruction, affecting more than half of Vanuatu’s population and underscoring the need to build resiliency across the region.

PACAM is a key U.S. Government initiative to support Pacific countries to identify, develop, and implement local solutions to climate change adaptation that also make global contributions. The Fund assists twelve Pacific Island countries to reduce long-term vulnerabilities associated with climate change by awarding grants to civil society organizations in support of climate change adaptation measures.