Purpose:
The Handbook includes important facts and figures about weather, climate and climate change in Vanuatu. It is a reference guide and gives answers to questions that Vanuatu Red Cross Branch and Sub-branch staff and volunteers face in their work.
The Handbook is a resource to build the awareness of Branch staff and volunteers so they are better able to support communities that are experiencing climate change. The information in here will be useful when running specific climate change activities and when responding to questions that come up in other situations.
This Handbook was developed after they asked for a written guide to refer to when they are working with
communities. Branch staff and volunteers participated in a workshop to review the content and to add some additional questions.
Overview:
The questions that this handbook answers are:
Question 1. What is the weather?
Question 2. What is the climate?
Question 3. Why are some years wetter or drier than others? What are La Niña and El Niño?
Question 4. What are the impacts of natural climate variability in Vanuatu?
Question 5. What are the impacts of El Niño in Vanuatu?
Question 6. What are the impacts of La Niña in Vanuatu?
Question 7. What is climate change?
Question 8. Is climate change already happening?
Question 9. What future changes can we expect in the climate of Vanuatu?
Question 10. Will temperatures change in Vanuatu because of climate change?
Question 11. Will rainfall patterns change in Vanuatu because of climate change?
Question 12. Will the ocean get more acidic in Vanuatu because of climate change?
Question 13. Will the sea level rise in Vanuatu because of climate change?
Question 14. Will tropical cyclones affecting Vanuatu change because of climate change?
Question 15. What can we do about climate change?
Question 16. Can climate change be stopped?
Question 17. Will everyone be affected by climate change?
Question 18. What are some communities doing that make things better?
Question 19. What are some communities doing that make things worse?
Question 20. What is the difference between DRR, Mitigation and Adaptation?
Question 21. What hazards does Vanuatu experience?
Question 22. Can we use weather and climate information to prepare for climate change?
Question 23. Can we use community knowledge to prepare for climate change?
Question 24. How do we use weather and climate information and community knowledge together?
Question 25. What does Vanuatu Red Cross do to reduce disaster risk and adapt to climate change?
Question 26. What is the government of Vanuatu doing to address climate change?
Usage: Guideline for implementation
Audiences: National Society staff
