11 February 2025, Yap FSM - The work to assist communities in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to adapt to the impacts of climate change continues.
FSM’s Department of Environment, Climate Change and Emergency Management (DECEM) working with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) rolled out the state stakeholder sessions as part of FSM’s National Adaptation Planning (NAP) Project in Yap last week.
The Yap State Inception and Implementation Planning Workshop followed a similar session in Pohnpei.
At the sessions, participants from across state government departments, non-governmental and inter-governmental organisations based in Yap were encouraged to highlight critical issues and concerns about the changing climate with the project management team. These will then be taken into consideration when activities are rolled out.
Yap’s Lieutenant Governor, Hon. Francis Itimai, encouraged conversations around the impacts of the climate crisis, how citizens of Yap have been affected and more importantly how they can be protected.
“For our island, this is a very important workshop despite our many worries about the unfolding actions and executive orders approved by the new US Government leaders to thrash all the climate change programmes,” he said. “As the Governor, I give our full support to this program to achieve our objectives for this NAP, we wish you success on this undertaking.”
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) presented an analysis of Yap’s climate averages, variability, trends and projections identified in the Climate Impact, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (CIVRA) report it undertook as part of the work.
The preliminary results show that the climate in Yap has been changing due to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Average annual temperatures have warmed by 0.25 °F per decade on average for the 1952 to 2020 period and this warming will be associated with more heatwaves.
The CVIRA also projects that the amount of rainfall on the wettest days in Yap will increase as well as extreme drought intensity, frequency, and duration.
Sea surface temperatures have been increasing, and this trend is projected to continue. This will lead to more marine heatwaves, with both observed and projected changes in ocean chemistry exacerbating temperature related impacts for marine ecosystems.
Sea level has risen and is projected to rise further in future.
“Our nation faces serious and increasing impacts of climate change. The current climate change hazards being experienced are expected to continue with more severe impacts,” FSM’s Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Emergency Management (DECEM), Hon. Andrew R. Yatilman said.
“Stronger tropical cyclones, storm surges, and heavy precipitation events are expected to increase given FSM is within the typhoon belt and western States - Yap and Chuuk are particularly impacted by the West Pacific Monsoon.
“Droughts have already caused and will continue to cause significant issues for our outlying islands and Yap is one of the most vulnerable States to droughts and significant water shortages.”
Hon. Yatilman reiterated that the only option for small islands like Yap is not to live, but to survive is to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
“Through the Readiness Funding from the Green Climate Fund for adaptation planning, FSM through the NAP project will work towards developing an overarching National Adaptation Plan (NAP) through a comprehensive consultative adaptation planning process, evidence base and climate finance investment plan for adaptation including developing potential draft project /programme concept notes which, once approved for funding, will deliver on-ground action,” said Hon. Yatilman.
“This stakeholder session is important to enable meaningful engagement of State stakeholders to provide guidance and feedback on the climate change impacts that are unique to Yap State and outlying islands.”
The next round of consultations will target communities in Chuuk and Kosrae.
The Federated States of Micronesia National Adaptation Planning Project (FSM NAP) Workshop was held in Yap State from 11 to 13 February 2025. It was implemented by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Emergency Management in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. The FSM NAP Project is funded by the Green Climate Fund.