Located about halfway between Hawai’i and New Zealand, Samoa is a small island country in the southwest Pacific. Samoa is of volcanic origin with a total land area of about 2,900 square kilometres (sq km). Its location makes it vulnerable to the frequent occurrences of tropical cyclones. With sea-level rises projected to intensify coastal erosion, the country’s vulnerability is exacerbated by the fact that approximately 70 percent of its population and infrastructure are located in low-lying coastal areas.
INVESTING IN SAMOA
CIF’s investment in Samoa is through its Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR). Samoa is one of the three island nations participating in a PPCR regional program in the Pacific. Samoa's development of a strategic program for climate resilience under PPCR is aimed at supporting the mainstreaming of climate change into national development planning and prioritizing the shifting of investments from project-based interventions to a broader programmatic approach, in order to build resilience.
The country's $30-million PPCR investment plan is helping to climate-proof the vital West Coast Road and implement a program assisting 45,000 Samoans in coastal communities to adapt to climate change. Communities are receiving training and support to update and implement coastal infrastructure plans, as well as increase the resilience of the country's coastlines, near-shore areas, and coral reefs.
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