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Pacific partners meet in Vanuatu and Guam to develop climate-related statistics capability

The impact of climate change is felt acutely in the Pacific—and timely and relevant data are needed for governments and communities to prepare and respond.

The Pacific Community (SPC) and United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific are leading a series of workshops for Pacific countries and territories to develop their statistics, accounts and indicators in pursuit of climate-related policies.

Supported by the Vanuatu Bureau of Statistics, representatives from eight Pacific countries met in Port Vila on 3–7 June to attend the first session on climate change statistics and indicators. On 17–21 June, a second workshop will be hosted by Guam with representatives from a further six countries.

Pacific participants at the workshops are being provided the opportunity to deepen their technical knowledge and understanding through practical exercises, country examples, discussions on national accounting, and implementation of a Natural Disasters and Climate Change survey.

Recently developed by SPC with financial support from the World Bank, the Natural Disasters and Climate Change survey asks households about their preparedness for climate change-related natural disasters, understanding of climate change, and the amount of loss and damage they have experienced.

Vanuatu’s Chief Statistician, Mr Andy Calo, welcomed last week’s participants and highlighted the role of statistics in being able to monitor the impact of climate change on communities.

“The Vanuatu Bureau of Statistics is expanding its work in climate change and environmental statistics, and we welcome the raised profile of these important data,” said Mr Calo.

“Both statisticians and policymakers from across the Pacific are learning more about a range of topics including household surveys, indicator development, the system of environmental–economic accounting, and planning for further development of climate change and environmental statistics.”

Through the workshops, SPC’s Statistics for Development Division hopes that participants will share a better understanding of how an accounting approach to climate change can support both regional and global initiatives—such as the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

“In the Pacific region, climate change is one of the most pressing policy issues given its wide-ranging impacts on well-being,” explains Mr Peter Ellis, Director of SPC’s Statistics for Development Division.

“Reliable and actionable statistics and indicators are vital to enable evidence-based policy, decision-making, planning and investment. Importantly, these statistics and indicators must be able to speak to the economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change.

“At the same time, there is a need to strengthen the capacities of national statistical offices and national statistical systems more broadly to produce and disseminate climate change-related statistics and indicators to better meet user needs.

“These are issues vital for the region in meeting the challenges of climate change, and SPC is very pleased that we can assist in helping build the skills and knowledge to do this.”