Community resilience and valuing ecosystem-based adaptation approaches for disaster risk reduction in Fiji

Fiji, as an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean, is vulnerable to climate change and natural hazards such as flood and cyclone. To build community resilience and reduce disaster risk, it applies ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and cost-benefit analysis (CBA), pursuing the protection of biodiversity and promotion of sustainability. Through the project research, a positive sign was shown with less than expected damage for Ba flood in February 2014, thanks to Fiji's EbA options' implementation in the Ba and Penang river catchments including afforestation. The evaluation of risk reduction and mitigation practices is still going on, however, greater understanding and use of ecosystem-based adaptation for climate change adaptation is achieved, which could be helpful to support decision makers to consider ecological and social resilience in policy and planning.