Vanuatu implements new climate adaptation and research strategies

Vanuatu has launched its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2026–2035 to protect the nation's communities, infrastructure, and natural resources from climate change. The strategy, which includes six Provincial Adaptation Plans, identifies nine priority sectors: agriculture, forestry, fisheries, infrastructure, tourism, ecosystems, education, health and nutrition, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. The plan aims to guide government development and facilitate access to international climate finance.

In a separate initiative to bolster scientific capacity, the National University of Vanuatu (NUV) and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) have signed a four-year strategic framework agreement. This partnership focuses on ocean and atmospheric sciences, biodiversity conservation, and geosciences to address natural hazards such as tsunamis and volcanic activity. The agreement also includes a “One Health” approach to evaluate environmental health and the evolution of traditional medicine.