Joint National Action Plan for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management 2014–2018.

This Joint National Action Plan (JNAP) for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management provides a detailed strategy for holistically and co-operatively addressing risk in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The JNAP is the result of extensive national consultations with relevant stakeholders and is built upon the strong foundations of the RMI’s Disaster Risk Management National Action Plan (DRM NAP). The incorporation of actions to address the crucial issue of climate change, which is likely to severely and negatively impact upon livelihoods in the RMI, provides an updated action plan which does not differentiate between the source of risk, whether it be climate driven or otherwise. The RMI has been able to effectively plan for mainstreaming risk reduction across all sectors via activities detailed in this JNAP.
The JNAP’s strategic goals, which are a combination of those addressed in the DRM NAP and the National Climate Change Policy Framework (NCCPF), are as follows: JNAP Goals: 1) Establish and support an enabling environment for improved coordination of disaster risk management/climate change adaptation in the Marshall Islands; 2) Public education and awareness of effective Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management from local to national level; 3) Enhanced emergency preparedness and response at all levels within the Marshall Islands; 4) Improved energy security, working towards a low carbon future for the Marshall Islands; 5) Enhanced local livelihoods and community resilience for all Marshall Islands people; 6) Integrated approach to development planning including consideration of climate change and disaster risks.
The aim of the JNAP is to enhance the resilience of the Marshall Islands people. It does this through providing all stakeholders, from communities, to national level to regional and international levels, with a nationally owned and driven guiding action plan that identifies key national priorities for reducing risk and vulnerability in the RMI. By developing strong and productive partnerships between communities, non-government organizations (NGOs) and local government, civil society, traditional leaders, the private sector, national government and regional and international organizations, the RMI will be able to prepare for existing and future vulnerabilities to provide healthy and sustainable livelihoods for its people.
The text consists of 10 Sections: Background and Setting (1); Climate Change (2); The Links between disaster risk management and climate change adaptation (3); Linkages to National, Regional and International Policies and Frameworks (4); JNAP Development Process (5); JNAP Goals and Outcomes (6); Indicative Costs (7); Implementation Strategy (8); Monitoring and Evaluation (9); Communication Strategy (10).