FRISFiji Resilient Informal Settlements

Nadi Town, Fiji

Korociri settlement

COMMUNITY-BASEDVULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
AND ACTION PLAN

KOROCIRI

Korociri Settlement (Fiji) Community-Based Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Action Plan (Abridged
Version)Copyright © United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Government of Fiji.
Coordinators:
Bernhard Barth, Inga Korte.
Authors:
Begoña Peiró, Sara Vargues.
Contributors:
Kolora Qativi, Kamsin Raju, Geeta Singh, Sunishma Singh, Lydia Ogden.
Design and Layout:
Lydia Ogden, Marion Reinosa, Begoña Peiro
Citation:
Peiró, B.; Vargues, S.: Korociri Settlement (Fiji) Community-Based Vulnerability Assessment and Climate
Action Plan (Abridged Version). UN-Habitat, Government of Fiji, 2022.

Korociri Settlement

CONTENTS
1.

Introduction					Page 5

2.

Methodology					Page 9

3.

Korociri Settlement 				Page 10

4.

Climate Hazards and Perceptions 		

Page 11

5.

Climate Change and Future Risks		

6.

Vulnerability					Page 15

7.

Climate Action Planning 			

1.1 Location and Physical Details
1.2 Purpose of the Vulnerability
Assessment and Action Plan

4.1 Climatic features and hazards
4.2 Community perceptions of key impacts

Page 12

5.1 Climate Change Projections
5.2 Extreme climate events future risk

6.1 Vulnerable groups:
women, youth, elderly, people with disabilites
6.2 Exposure
6.3 Sensitivity
6.4 Adaptative capacity
7.1 Climate Resilience & The SDGs
7.2 Alignment to Fiji's National Plan
7.3 Prioritized shortlisted actions

Page 22

KOROCIRI

3

House in Korociri settlement
UN-Habitat/Kamsin Raju

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Korociri Settlement

5

INTRODUCTION
The Korociri Settlement (Fiji) Community-Based Vulnerability Assessment (VA) and Climate Action
Plan (CAP) has been developed under the Fiji Resilient Informal Settlements (FRIS) project financedby the Adaptation Fund. This document is an abridged version of a comprehensive report, finalized in2020. FRIS works in 16 informal urban settlements that are highly vulnerable to climate change anddisaster risks, in four urban areas as part of a project implemented by UN-Habitat and executed by
the Ministry of Housing and Community Development and the Ministry of Local Government.
The high levels of physical, economic, social and environmental vulnerability in combination withpoor levels of disaster preparedness and adaptive capacity often lead to high climate-related hazard
impacts in informal settlements.
The VA and CAP guides the implementation of projects under component 3 of the FRIS project(Enhancing resilience of community level physical, natural and socio-economic assets andecosystems).
The overall objective of the project is to increase the resilience of informal settlements communities
in Fiji that are highly vulnerable to climate change and disaster risks. To achieve this, the project has
four components:
1. Institutional strengthening for enhanced local climate response
2. Local (community/informal settlement) resilience strengthening
3. Enhancing resilience of community level physical, natural and socioeconomic
assets and ecosystems
4. Awareness raising, knowledge management and communication.
Figure 1 Informal settlements that are part of the FRIS program in Nadi town, including Korociri1

1. Prepared by: Kamsin Raju, Nadi Town Council

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Korociri Settlement

1.1 LOCATION AND PHYSICAL DETAILSFiji is located in the western South Pacific. It has a total of 322 islands located between 177°E–178°W
and 16°S–20°S and a total land area of 18,333 square kilometers. Viti Levu and Vanua Levu are thetwo largest islands. These two islands form up to 87 per cent of the total land area and are also themost populous areas nationally2. Fiji’s total population is 884,887 people, approximately 55.9 percent of whom reside in urban areas3.
Fiji is among the countries with the highest disaster risk, ranking number ten according to the World
Risk Index (2018)4. Located in the Pacific Ocean’s tropical cyclone belt, cyclones are the mostfrequent hazards to affect the country (with around two to three cyclones occurring every year)5.
Additionally, the country has a high exposure to other environmental hazards, such as storm surge,
severe storm, flooding, landslide, drought and extreme temperature, earthquake, and tsunami. The
country is also vulnerable to rising sea levels, and more frequent and intense rainfall caused byclimate change.
Although Fiji is recognized as being one of the most developed economies in the Pacific6, signs ofsocio-economic inequality are rising, particularly with the expansion of informal settlements7. The
5-year and 20-year National Development Plan was prepared by the government in order to addressdevelopment challenges. The plan’s objectives include a doubling of the real gross domestic product(GDP) per capita by 2036 and to provide universal access to all services, including housing, electricity,
clean and safe water and sanitation, high-quality education, and health care8. However, natural
hazards and climate change represent a major obstacle to the achievement of these objectives.
Environmental hazards have far reaching negative impacts across a number of sectors in Fiji,
including agriculture, housing, transport infrastructure, basic service provision, tourism and primaryindustries, among other. The majority of the country’s cities and towns are located on the coast andalong rivers, particularly exposed to seaborne and riverine natural hazards, cyclones, storm surges,
coastal and riverine erosion, landslides, floods and already occurring sea level rise due to climatechange. Moreover, mangrove deforestation and coral reef extraction for urban development are
reducing the mitigating benefits of mangroves and coral reefs in providing a barrier against storm
surges and cyclones. Given the increasing trends in urbanization and concentration of development
along the coast, costs related to natural hazard-induced disasters are expected to increase withtime.
Nadi Town is located in Ba Province, on the south-west coast of Viti Levu. It is Fiji’s tourism hub due
mainly to Nadi International Airport and Port Denerau. According to the latest Government census(2017), Nadi has a total population of 71,048 people9 over 1,200 hectares. The average of Nadi’s
population growth over the past decade is significantly higher than Fiji’s average growth rate, at 5.32
percent per year10. However, the majority of this growth can be attributed to the expansion of urban
boundaries11.

2. Fiji’s First National Communication under the UNFCCC, 2005; Fiji’s Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change, 2009
3. Fiji Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Population and Housing Census: Administration Report.
4. Heintze, H., Kirch, L., Küppers, B., Mann, H., Mischo, F., Mucke, P., Pazdzierny, T., Prütz, R., Radtke, K., Strube, F., Weller, D. (2018). World

Risk Report 2018. (p. 7). Retrieved from: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/WorldRiskReport-2018.pdf
5. NDMO. (n.d.). Tropical Cyclones – Action Gide. Retrieved from: http://www.ndmo.gov.fj/images/Hazards/Tropical_Cyclone.pdf
6. Asian Development Bank (ADB). (2019). Pacific Finance Sector Briefs – Fiji. Retrieved from: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/
publication/529841/pacific-finance-sector-fiji.pdf
7. World Bank (WB). (2017). Systematic Country Diagnostic 2017. Republic of Fiji. Retrieved from: http://documents.worldbank.org/
curated/en/529271512123603244/pdf/116491-revised-PUBLIC-ACS.pdf
8. Ministry of Economy Republic of Fiji. (2017). 5-Year & 20-Year National Development Plan. Transforming Fiji. Retrieved from: https://www.fiji.gov.fj/getattachment/15b0ba03-825e-47f7-bf69-094ad33004dd/5-Year---20-Year-NATIONAL-DEVELOPMENT-PLAN.aspx
9. Fiji Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Population and Housing Census: Administration Report.
10. City population, Fiji. http://www.citypopulation.de/Fiji.html
11. Fiji Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Population and Housing Census: Administration Report.

Korociri Settlement

7

Korociri settlement is located 1.5 km South-west of the center of Nadi Town (Figure 1), outside of
the town boundary. Korociri settlement covers an area of approximately 20,400 square meters (2.04
hectares), and measures approximately 135 meters in length between its longest points and 185
meters in width. The settlement is located in a flood prone area along a creek.

House being built in Korociri settlement
UN-Habitat/Begoña Peiro

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Korociri Settlement

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE COMMUNITY-BASEDVULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND CLIMATE ACTION
The community-based VA and CAP aims to inform the wider planning processes at the town andnational levels, by providing an in-depth assessment on settlement level vulnerability, in addition toproviding recommendations for action. This document presents a summary of the report developed
under the project for dissemination. The original report includes additional information and a morein-depth analysis.
The VA aims to understand the level of vulnerability of systems in Korociri, by following a multi-scale
approach. The VA has the following sub-objectives:
1. Identify the underlying causes of vulnerability.
2. Understand the perceptions on climate change and disaster risk from the 		residents living in the settlement.
3. Analyse the spatial dimension of exposed assets.
4. Identify the sources of livelihoods that may be vulnerable to the impacts of climatechange.
Based on the findings of the VA, a CAP was developed to identify and prioritize potential communitylevel interventions. This aims to identify and prioritize climate change adaptation options that will
enhance the resilience of physical, natural and socio-economic assets and ecosystems at thecommunity level.
Korociri settlement
UN-Habitat/Begoña Peiro

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Korociri Settlement

9

METHODOLOGY
Several data gathering methods have been employed in order to collect both the primary andsecondary data needed to conduct the analyses. The methodology is designed to support local andnational governments in identifying current and future drivers of vulnerability and to identify priorities
for climate change adaptation.
Community level data was collected around five key components: (i) Population; (ii) Urban use; (iii)
Natural resource-based production, (iv) Critical point facilities; and (v) Lifeline utilities. The datacollected from both primary and secondary sources provide information on climate hazards andvariability and support three main analyses: (1) Hazard exposure analysis; (2) Sensitivity analysis;and (3) Adaptive capacity analysis.

DATA COLLECTION
Primary data collection methods:•
Household survey (HHS)12•Site visits and participatory mapping•
Key Informant Interviews (KII)•
VRA workshop

Secondary data collection methods:•
Census•Reports on climate change projections•
Spatial data available in GIS repositories

Figure 2 Analytical Framework
NATURAL RESOURCEBASED PRODUCTIONCRITICAL POINT
FACILITIES &INFRASTRUCTURE

URBAN
LAND USE &BUILDINGSDATA COLLECTION

COMMUNITYPROFILEPOPULATIONLIFELINE UTILITIESANALYSIS
HAZARDSPRIORITY AREASEXPOSURE

SENSITIVITY

ADAPTIVE
CAPACITYACTIONSAP phase

12. The HHS provides predominantly quantitative data on the household unit, and the community unit once aggregated. The assessment

makes a distinction between household and house. Household refers to the family unit living in a same dwelling, and house refers to thephysical structure. When providing information regarding the HHS, the unit considered is the household. The household survey covered
98 per cent of the households in Korociri settlement. A total of 63 households were identified in the settlement at the time when the HHS
was carried out, and 62 of these were surveyed.

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Korociri Settlement

3

KOROCIRI SETTLEMENT
Residents in Korociri have no formal land tenure arrangements, limited access to electricity,
poor sanitation and housing conditions, and limited access to risk-reducing infrastructure. The
aforementioned issues hinder the abilities of informal settlers to cope and adapt to future risks.
The total population based on the household survey conducted in Korociri amounts to 399 people13,from which 190 are male and 209 are female. The total estimated population is 405 people14. In termsof age distribution, persons aged from 0 to 24 years old comprise almost half of the population (48per cent). The youth age group (15-24) accounts for 11 per cent and 37 per cent of the population in
the settlement is under 14 years old. There are three people aged over 75 in the settlement, and only
two within the 70-74 age range. Approximately half of the households (53 per cent) reported having
lived in the settlement less than 30 years. Although the size of a household in Korociri averages 6.1
persons, household sizes range from 2 to 17 people amongst those households surveyed.
13. The data is based on the information collected through the household survey, during which 63 out of 64 households were surveyed.
14. For those households that were not surveyed the average size of household is used.

56
63
0
399

Total number of houses
Total number of households
Uninhabited buildings
people living in the settlement

26.396 m
5.507 m
307 m
20.582 m

2

2

Total area within boundary
Residential buildings area

2

Civic buildings area

2

Open space area

Unpaved road in Korociri settlement
UN-Habitat/Begoña Peiro

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Korociri Settlement

11

CLIMATIC FEATURES, HAZARDS, PERCEPTIONS
4.1 CLIMATIC FEATURES AND HAZARDSFiji is generally considered to be an oceanic tropical marine climate15. There are two distinct seasonsnamely, a warm wet season from November to April and a cooler dry season from May to October16.
Regarding climate variability, the major features driving climate in Fiji are17:•

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, which occurs every two to seven years,
four years on average. It is the most important influence on inter-annual climate variations in the
country. It strongly influences rainfall, temperature and tropical cyclones. Dry seasons during El
Niño event tend to be drier and cooler, with droughts being associated to these periods. On thecontrary, La Niña events are associated with floods, depressions and tropical cyclones.

•

The South Pacific Convergence Zone strongly influences the seasonal cycle, which is mostintense during the wet season and closer to the country18.

•

The trade winds bring orographic rainfall to the eastern parts of the country. Around 70% of thenational annual average rainfall occurred during the wet season (over the period from 1961 to2010).

4.2 COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS OF KEY IMPACTS
Being located along a creek, the settlement's social, economic and natural systems are exposed tomultiple hazards. Based on primary data collected, residents face key challenges due to a number ofclimate-related hazards, including cyclones, heavy rainfalls, river floods, flash floods, extreme heat,
vector-borne diseases, and water-borne diseases

100%
57%
50%

of households highlighted floods
as the most problematic hazard.
of households highlighted cyclones as
the second most problematic hazard.
of households highlighted extreme heatas the third most problematic hazard.

During FGDs, river flooding was noted as a critical issue by community representatives. The houses
located in the low-lying area nearby the river were raised as being particularly vulenrable to floods,
particularly during heavy rains as the river overflows. This directly impacts the structure of houses,
damaging foundations, stilts, sanitation facilities and footpaths. According to community members,
the water can reach approximately 0.7 meters when there is a combination of heavy rains and river
overflowing, affecting the whole settlement. Participants also reported experiencing longer dry periods immediately after flood events.
Cyclones were highlighted as being highly problematic. TC Winston (2016) severely impacted all thehouses in the settlement. Additionally, participants also mentioned that all households lost crops
and livestock during this event. Community members also highlighted TC Evan (2012) as one of the
major climate events that had impacted Korociri with almost all houses getting affected by floods.
During this event, water reached approximately one meter and impacted all households.
15. Government of Fiji. (2019). National Climate Change Policy. Retrieved from: https://www.pacificclimatechange.net/sites/default/files/
documents/National-Climate-Change-Policy-2018---2030_0.pdf
16. Pacific-Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning Program (PACCSAP). (2014). Climate Variability, Extremes andChange in the Western Tropical Pacific: New Science and Updated Country Reports.
17. Government of Fiji. (2018). Climate Vulnerability Assessment – Making Fiji Climate Resilient.
18. Ibid125

Korociri Settlement

CLIMATE CHANGE AND FUTURE RISKS
5.1 CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTIONS19
2090

Extreme rainfall events are expected to increase, becoming more
frequent and intense.

2090

The total number of storms is likely to decrease over time, however. The
proportion of Category 4 and 5 tropical cyclones is likely to increase.

2090

Temperatures are expected to increase as well as temperature on
extreme hot days.

2090

Sea level rise is projected to increase across the region.

2090

Ocean acidification is expected to continue increasing, leading to coral
reef bleaching and destruction.

2090

Landslides represent a significant risk that can increase in response toheavier rainfall.

19. Based on: PACCSAP Program, (2014). Climate Variability, Extremes and Change in the Western Tropical Pacific: New Science andUpdated Country Reports.

Residents from Korociri experience
regular flooding associated with heavy
rainfalls and from the nearby river, which
directly impacts their daily lives. Adelina
explains how these events affect her
community and the types of actions that
she believes could be taken to addresssome of these issues.

Korociri Settlement

13

Figure 3 Main hazards that affect Korociri settlement and primary and secondary impacts18 19
2050

Surface airtemp. + 1.3º C

HAZARDSPRIMARY IMPACTS

SECONDARY IMPACTS

CycloneEffects on
fauna & flora

Fewer ecosystemservices

Flooding

Difficult tocatch fish

Lower
incomeRainstormLivestock
deathsMalnutrition

Extremeheat

CropfailureRelocation

HealthissuesFewer jobs

Lack ofdrinking water

Higher foodpricesDamage tohousesProperty
lossesDamage toinfrastructure

Accessibility
issuesMaximum air
temp. + 1.4º C

1% increasein rain20. Climate projections based on: PACCSAP Program, (2014). Climate Variability, Extremes and Change in the Western Tropical Pacific: New Scienceand Updated Country Reports.
21. Surface air temperatures in the Pacific are closely related to sea-surface temperatures (SST), so the projected changes to air temperature can beused as a guide to the expected changes to SST.

”

Flooding has a huge impact in our community, causing
many houses and the general environment to get
destroyed. Many plants and trees get damaged and many
houses become a mess with the mud that is left behind
after flooding. When people get the news that there arehigh chances of flooding, our community rushes to gettheir cars to high ground, they try to place important
belongings and valuable items at a higher place where
it can be safe from the flood waters but when then mostthings are damaged due to leaking roofs and weak
structures that are damaged easily. By the time the flood
water starts increasing rapidly, people cannot leave theirhouse and go to higher ground because the flood waterdrowns out the entire road access that the residents use.
When the flood water decreases, it leaves many houses
covered in mud which is extremely difficult to clean. We
often ask our elder children, mainly daughters, to stayhome from work and school to help clean up the houseor to take care of their younger siblings. It takes up to 5
or 6 days to clean the entire house and put things backto the way it was because the men go back to work so it

is left to us to tidy. Many houses get really destroyed
and are in very bad condition so we also try to help out
our neighbours and relatives clean and put their houseback together.”In response to environmental problems, we cando little things at home such as burning less, using
less products that harm the environment, practicing
recycling and just generally reducing waste. As acommunity we can plant more trees, have clean up
campaigns every few months and we can practicesustainable farming. We can also educate our children
on why we should protect the Earth and how they cancontribute to reducing their carbon footprint too. We
can learn and teach each other how to build safer
homes that are higher than the flood water levels sothat we don’t get flooded every time and we can takecare of our evacuation centres better so that they are
habitable during times of disaster unlike during past
events.
Adelina, Korociri resident[No real names are used in this report]

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Korociri Settlement

5.2 EXTREME CLIMATE EVENTS FUTURE RISK
The assessment carried out relies on existing sets of climate change projections that are available
and were produced by the Pacific-Australia Climate Change Science Program (PACCSAP)22.

Cyclones:

Despite projections that tropical cyclogenesis will decrease, the intensity of cyclone events is
expected to increase. Increase in strong winds is expected to result in damage to housing stock andcritical infrastructure. Cyclones will impact livelihoods through damage to land and crops, livestockand by increasing difficulty in catching fish. Increased intensity of cyclones will impact on people’s
mobility and has the potential to displace vulnerable communities, both temporarily and permanently.

Extreme Temperatures:

Projected increase in temperature, in particular on extremely hot days, is expected to have significant
impacts on local health. Higher temperatures lead to lower water availability during the dry season.
Higher temperatures also increase the incidence of mosquitos, the risk of crop failure, and livestock
health impacts. This has a socioeconomic impact on communities by reducing income reliability
and increasing food insecurity due to increased food prices.

Rainfall:

Projections a wide range of change in annual rainfall, from increase to a decrease and with littlechange on the model average. Findings show that the effect of climate change on average rainfall
may not be obvious in the short or medium term, due to natural variability, with year-to-year rainfall
variability being generally larger than the projected change (except for models in the highest emission
scenario by 2090).
The frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events are projected to increase. This is expected
to damage crops and cause livestock deaths. Food security will increase due to crop loss. Despite
increased water availability, rainwater is difficult to capture without proper infrastructure, and flooding
is likely. Flooding will cause accessibility issues and damage housing stock.
22. PACCSAP Program, (2014). Climate Variability, Extremes and Change in the Western Tropical Pacific: New Science and Updated Country
Reports.

Children in Korociri settlement
UN-Habitat/Sara Vargues

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Korociri Settlement

15

VULNERABILITY
Korociri's vulnerability was assessed through three lenses:

EXPOSURE

SENSITIVITY

ADAPTIVE CAPACITY

6.1 VULNERABLE GROUPS:WOMEN, YOUTH, ELDERLY, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITESGender inequality in Fiji is a key driver of vulnerability to climate change with several studies
demonstrating that women and girls are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate-related disasters.
The increase of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and violence against children after disasters has been
widely documented by humanitarian agencies coordinating emergency response efforts23. Evidence
indicated that violence against children increased after TC Winston as a result of heightened stressand vulnerability from caregivers. Incidents of sexual violence were also reported after the two
tropical cyclones hit the Western division of Fiji in 2012 by women living in relief centers24. Moreover,people with disabilities and especially women are at particular risk of domestic violence due to theirintersecting vulnerabilities25. Additionally, unequal participation in governance and political processes
also limits women’s ability to influence important processes and decision-making in areas relevant toclimate and disaster risk management.
Flood events and other hazards have impacts on residents’ health, with large cumulative impacts onchildren who can be deprived of access to school. From 44, only eight children under 6 were reported
as being involved in education. This means that members of families with children under 6 will haveto assume the role of caretakers. Often, female members of the household take this role.

23. UN Women. (2014). Climate change, Disaster and Gender-Based Violence in the Pacific.
24. UN Women. (2013). The 2012 Fiji Floods: Gender Sensitivity in Disaster Management.
25. Government of The Republic of Fiji (GoF). (2017). Climate Vulnerability Assessment. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank Group.

Participatory mapping
UN-Habitat/Sara Vargues

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Korociri Settlement

6.2 EXPOSURE
Exposure is defined as the presence of people, livelihoods, species
or ecosystems, environmental functions, services, and resources,
infrastructure, or economic, social, or cultural assets in places andsettings that could be adversely affected26.
Korociri occupies an approximate total area of 20,400 square meters (2.04 hectares). Being locatedin a flood prone area, its social, economic and natural systems are exposed to multiple hazards.
Figure 4 shows the key elements and main hazards identified by community members during
participatory workshops.
Floods were highlighted as one of the main issues in the settlement. The area marked in yellow was
identified as being flooded due to heavy precipitation, and FGD participants mentioned that floodlevels reach 0.3 to 0.7 meters. The area marked in orange was marked as reaching levels of up to
one meter.
Community members highlighted a perceived increase in surface runoff associated with heavy
rainfalls that leads to flooding of certain areas which cause disruptions to their lives by affecting
crops, accessibility across the settlement and saturation of poorly constructed sanitation systems.
Moreover, the houses located in the low-lying area nearby the river were also identified as being
highly impacted by floods.
Figure 4 Hazard exposure map developed in participatory workshops

26. IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland

Korociri Settlement

17

Figure 4 shows the hazards that were highlighted by respondents as being amongst the three mostproblematic hazards for their household. While these are the hazards that residents perceive as
being problematic based on their experiences, it does not mean that other hazards do not pose risks
in the settlement.
Figure 4 The most problematic hazards identified by respondents in the settlement
Climate hazards
identified by respondents
as being among the top 3
most problematic in thesettlement

CYCLONERIVER
FLOODING

FLASH FLOODING

EXTREME HEAT

LIGHTNING &THUNDERSTORM

Climate hazards not
identified by respondents
as being among the top 3
most problematic in thesettlement

LANDSLIDESDROUGHTWATER-BORNEDISEASES

VECTOR-BORNEDISEASES

6.3 SENSITIVITY
Sensitivity is defined as the degree to which a system or species
is affected, either adversely or beneficially, by climate variability orchange27.

(i) Population
Residents in Korociri do not have formal land tenure arrangements. According to the household
survey, 60 per cent reported living in the settlement over 20 years. The dependency ratio in thesettlement is 67 which is higher than the national dependency ratio of 5428. Young dependents make91 per cent of the total dependents, while elderly people (aged over 65) make the other 9 per cent.

(ii) Urban Land Use & buildings
The town council is responsible for ensuring that buildings are compliant with the building code.
However, often, compliance is not checked in informal settlements. There are residential buildings, achurch and an evacuation center which has not been completed. Most of the houses are one storey
high and are located on relatively flat terrain.
27. IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland
28. World Bank. (2019). Retrieved from: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.DPND?locations=FJ

77% 100%of the houses havebeen built before theyear 2000

of houses have metalroofs. 52% were ranked
as being in below
average conditions.

80%of houses are builtwith metal exterior walls,
8% of wood and 12% of
concrete blocks.

11%of the houses are built
on wooden stilts.

72%

of the stilts are over
2 meters high.

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Korociri Settlement

The building identified by the community as an evacuation center that was initially meant toaccommodate new facilities (i.e., kitchen, sanitation facilities, showers and storages) to support
the existing church building. However, it has not yet been completed and only its sanitation facilities
are being used by the community on a daily basis. During the FGDs, participants mentioned thatthe building should not only be completed but also extended. According to them, the populationof Korociri has increased considerably over the last six years and the existing footprint is nolonger suitable for the entire community. Hence, both church and evacuation center are needed toaccommodate residents during disaster events.

(iii) Natural Resource-based Production
Residents in Korociri do not largely depend on natural resources for food and livelihoods. As
mentioned, a relatively small proportion (29 per cent) of households grow crops. According tocommunity representative, low productivity levels are either related to the lack of land available andto the quality of the soil which gets regularly flooded. According to participants, after climate events,
all crops have to be replanted. Dependency on fishing is also quite low, with 11 per cent of thehouseholds reporting to fish frequently. The main types of fish available referred by the community are
duna, malea and tilapia. Coral bleaching and ocean acidification represent a threat to the availabilityof fish. Furthermore, the proportion of households relying on livestock for livelihoods is also low, with
10 per cent of households rearing livestock.

(iv) Critical Point Facilities & Infrastructure
Korociri is located next to Nadi’s Back Road which connects to the settlement through Korociri
Road which is unpaved for all of its length. Residents have made several footpaths that allow themto access their houses, although most of these are unpaved. Accessibility was highlighted as apositive aspect of Korociri by 97 per cent of the surveyed households. However, mobility across thesettlement could be challenging, particularly during flash floods events where roads and footpaths
get regularly damaged.
There is a building which has not been completed which was meant to be used as an evacuation
center by the community. The existing church was built in 2013 and is used both for religious purposes
and as an evacuation center given that the other building has not been completed. According to thecommunity members, it should be structurally improved. Its roof is built in metal and is in goodconditions (based on a five-point scale from poor to excellent). The exterior walls are built in woodand were ranked as being in average conditions.
The building identified by the community as an evacuation center that was initially meant toaccommodate new facilities (i.e., kitchen, sanitation facilities, showers and storages) to support
the existing church building. However, it has not yet been completed and only its sanitation facilities
are being used by the community on a daily basis. During the FGDs, participants mentioned thatthe building should not only be completed but also extended. According to them, the populationof Korociri has increased considerably over the last six years and the existing footprint is nolonger suitable for the entire community. Hence, both church and evacuation center are needed toaccommodate residents in times of disasters. Its roof is built with metal sheets and it was ranked
as being in average conditions. The exterior walls are built in wood and were ranked as being in fairconditions.

(v) Lifeline Utilities
The settlement has access to services provided by several entities in Fiji (e.g., water, electricity, etc.).
All the households in the settlement reported having access to water supply provided by the Fiji Water
Authority (FWA), either piped into their dwelling or into their yard. Sensitivities related to drinking
water access are mainly linked to the conditions of the water supply network, given that pipes areKorociri Settlement

19

often exposed, which can lead to damages and leaks. 98 per cent of the households reported having
access to electricity. However, there is a lack of access to clean and modern fuels and technologies
for cooking.
With regards to sanitation, all the households reported having access to a facility. 37 per cent of thehouseholds are sharing these facilities with members from other households. Like the rest of thesettlements within and in the periphery of Nadi Town, Korociri does not have access to sewerage
infrastructure. Frequent flash flooding often causes excreta to rise back up and overflow (particularlyin those cases where there are pit latrines), failing to hygienically separate human excreta fromhuman contact, and heightening the risk for water contamination and water-borne diseases. Another

6.4 ADAPTIVE CAPACITY
Adaptive capacity is the ability of systems, institutions, humans, andother organisms to adjust to potential damage, to take advantage ofopportunities, or to respond to consequences29.

Three different levels of adaptive capacity are analysed:(i) Independent Capacity,(ii) Collective Capacity,(iii) Institutional Capacity.

(i) Independent Capacity
Independent capacity is how individuals or families are able to respond and adapt toclimate hazards without assistance from the larger community or local government. Also
referred to as ‘autonomous’ adaptation. In this report the unit considered for the analysis
is the household30.
The limited financial resources at the household level combined with the low access to financial
assistance and social protection services indicate that the level of economic wealth and financial
capital at the household level is low in Korociri.
The Department of Social Welfare, under the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation(MWCPA) is the lead agency for social assistance in Fiji and administers the core social protection
programs, which are: the Poverty Benefit Scheme (PBS), Care and Protection Allowance (CPA), andSocial Pension Scheme (SPS), Food Voucher Program and the Free Bus Fare Program.
29. IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland
30. UN-Habitat, 2014. Planning for Climate Change.

35%

households reported thatat least one member hadaccess to the free bus
fare program.

3%

households mentioned
having accessto the social pension
scheme2%household reported access tothe food voucher program,and 12% to the poverty
benefit scheme.

63%

households reported
not having accessto any social
protection programs.

20

Korociri Settlement

With regards to disaster preparedness, most of the households reported having access to early
warning systems (EWS). 55 households (87 per cent) mentioned access through SMS alerts, 60
households through the radio and 43 households (68 per cent) through community notification
systems. 61 households (97 per cent) responded that they have an evacuation plan, but only threehouseholds mentioned being connected to a formal DRR network. One household reported nothaving access to any of the systems mentioned above.

(ii) Collective Capacity
Collective capacity is how well are communities, neighbourhoods or other groups able
to respond and adapt to climate hazards without assistance from government or otheragencies and institutions31.
Information on the collective capacity at the settlement level was collected from workshops
organized with community members and through the household survey. There financial capital at thecommunity-level is low, as there are no collective savings groups or systems in place. Each individual
household relies on their own resources to address impacts, and as already mentioned above, these
are limited.
The level of awareness and existing mechanisms of early warning systems, evacuation routes anddisaster management committees in the settlement are higher in comparison to other informal
settlements that are part of the FRIS project. Individual households reported having access to early
warning systems (either through radio or SMS), and a high number of households reported being
connected to a formal DRR network and having a formal evacuation plan. Korociri has an evacuation
center inside the community, however, its construction is not yet completed. During the FGDs,
participants explained that despite not being finished, this building is being used by community
members. According to them, the evacuation should be completed and improved as it is not welldimensioned for the current number of people living in the settlement.
There are community leadership structures in place community (e.g. established community leader,
community groups, etc.) that have been effective following past disaster events and all community
mentioned being well connected to various sources of information. Furthermore, there is a community
committee in place which is responsible for carrying out activities such as the organization of regularmeetings to discuss community matters, garbage collection campaigns, etc. These systems present
opportunities that can be tapped on in order to strengthen other aspects at the community-level suchas stronger mechanisms for disaster preparedness, response and climate change adaptation.

(iii) Institutional Capacity
Institutional capacity is how well an established government is able to, or would be
able to, respond and adapt to climate hazards (e.g. organizational systems, policies,
regulations, human resources, technological resources)32.
Fiji’s 5 –Year and 20-Year National Development plans lay out the country’s development agenda inrealizing the Sustainable Development Goals and Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris
Agreement.
Fiji’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) further articulates Fiji’s priorities in reducing present andfuture climate risks in alignment to the National Development Plans. These Plans envisage 9.3 billion
FJD expenditure on climate change adaptations over the next two decades. Despite this, financial
capital remains lower than the identified needs.
31. UN-Habitat, 2014. Planning for Climate Change.
32. Ibid

Korociri Settlement

21

The NCCP recognizes the important roles local government entities play in delivering the policy’s
objectives and in providing coordination at the community-level. At the moment, councils do nothave a budget dedicated to the implementation of climate adaptation activities but may accessfunds through specific projects. The NAP is meant to provide mechanisms and arrangements thatwill allow to progress local government facilitation, promoting bottom- up approaches at district andcommunity levels.
The National Disaster Management Office carries out activities such as community awarenessprograms and disaster management trainings. However, informal settlements are often left out of
formal systems, networks and programs. For example, activities such as the community awarenessprograms have been carried out in villages, but not in informal settlements up to the date. Given
that informal settlements such as Korociri are often located in highly exposed areas, combined witha high level of sensitivity, the introduction of awareness raising programs and improved disaster
preparedness are a priority.

Evacuation center
UN-Habitat/Begoña Peiro

22

Korociri Settlement

7

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
The main purpose of the CAP is to empower communities to identify community-level interventions
that will strengthen their resilience to climate change while driving development. On the one hand,the prioritized actions resulting from this process will lead to the selection of projects that are financially supported by the FRIS project. On the other hand, the CAP aims to support national and local
government decision-making, particularly in relation to upgrading of informal settlements and theirenhanced integration into the urban system.
Several community workshops held with local stakeholders (including vulnerable groups such as
women, youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities) helped to identify key vulnerabilities, climate
risks and identify adaptation options and priorities. Integrating quantitative datasets and community
perceptions during the VA phase allow for critical consideration of both community and scientificunderstanding of climate variability and change.

7.1 CLIMATE RESILIENCE& THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALSAs stated in the National Climate Change Policy, vulnerability to climate change in Fiji has thepotential to derail and undermine progress against each of the SDGs33. Building climate resilienceis critical to the implementation of the SDGs. However, existing development deficits exacerbate
communities’ vulnerability to climate change. As such, the action plan prioritizes a holistic approachthrough actions that build climate resilience alongside sustainable development co-benefits.

7.2 ALIGNMENT TO FIJI’S NATIONAL PLAN
Fiji´s National Adaptation Plan (NAP)34 is aligned to international processes such as the SDGs of
the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement of the UNFCCC and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction. It contains 160 adaptation measures that are to be prioritized over the five-year periodof the NAP, organized across a total of 10 components (five systems components and five sectoralcomponents). The actions included in this report are aligned and respond to the aforementioned
focus areas.

OPTION IDENTIFICATION & PRIORITIZATION
During the workshops, key climate-hazards were discussed, linking the options to these hazards andrelated impacts. Integrating quantitative datasets and community perceptions during the VA phaseallow for critical consideration of both community and scientific understanding of climate variability
and change. Similarly, the option identification process considered both community inputs, thatallowed the team to capture local and traditional knowledge, and technical inputs from experts. The
options identified were derived from the findings of the VA and prioritized based on a multi-criteria
assessment (i.e. link to hazards, SDG co-benefits, ease of implementation, urgency and cost).

7.3 PRIORITIZED SHORTLISTED ACTIONS
During the participatory workshops, potential adaptation options were co-designed and discussed. Some
examples include improved sanitation facilities that are resilient to floods, and rainwater harvesting tanks toensure continous access to water. Based on the long-list of adaptive measures (see Annex A), a short-list was
prepared and prioritized. Below is the table that includes the short-listed options and the results from thecommunity ranking. These were also assessed against the following criteria: acceptability, community support
and technical feasibility. This work forms the basis for the selection of options that will be implemented as
33. Ministry of Economy, Republic of Fiji, (2019). National Climate Change Policy 2018-2030.
34. Government of the Republic of Fiji, (2018). Republic of Fiji. National Adaptation Plan. A pathway towards climate resilience. Retrieved
from: https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/NAPC/Documents/Parties/National%20Adaptation%20Plan_Fiji.pdf

Korociri Settlement

23

part of the FRIS project. However, it must be noted that the fact that the options have been shortlisted does notmean that all of them will be implemented. The next steps of the project include further developing the priority
actions for their implementation. This will be done in a participatory manner and will involve technical experts (e.g.,
engineers, architects, etc.), representatives from the Ministry of Housing and Community Development as well asfrom the local government with support from UN-Habitat.
PRIORITZED OPTIONS

SDG
CO-BENEFITSCOMMUNITYRANKING

Interventions in physical, natural and social assets
Construction of an adequate stormwater drainage network

1

Localized interventions to improve the building conditions of
those structures that are identified as being in the worst conditions

3

Construction of an evacuation center (extension and completionof the existing building)2

Improved sanitation facilities (resilient to floods)

4

Urban farming

5Construction of adequate footpaths across the community

6

Rainwater harvesting tanks

7

Trainings and awareness raising
Training on waste management following a participatory approach that identifies opportunities linked to livelihoods

5

Trainings on safe construction for hazard proof shelters for
low-income residents

2

WASH trainings that target adults and children

4

Disaster preparedness and response related activities

3

Training on financial literacy and social protection programs

1

Community involvement in elimination of larval habitats (throughclean up campaigns and awareness raising)

6

The following activities were identified and shortlisted, aiming to supported the project implementation:•
Reinforce existing governance structures at the community-level to ensure project ownership.
•
Establish youth community groups and promote their participation in awareness raising and project
implementation activities that can increase their skills and capacity.
•
Engagement through design process of the retrofitting actions, following a participatory approach.
•
Awareness raising and trainings on maintenance requirements of sanitation facilities, drainages and rainwater
harvesting.
•
Establishing groups for the maintenance of the urban farm.

24

Korociri Settlement

ANNEX
Long list of climate change adaptation options
Interventions in physical, natural and social assets
Trainings and awareness raising activities
Activities that support the project implementation

These actions were identified as part of the longlist of adaptive measures, and were short-listed forfurther prioritization.
EASE OFIMPLEMENTATIONURGENCY

COST

TOTAL

Community involvement in elimination of larval habitats(through clean up campaigns and awareness raising)

2

3

3

8

WASH trainings that target adults and children

2

3

3

8

Awareness raising campaigns that promote moresustainable options to solid waste management

2

3

2

7

Training on waste management following a participatory
approach that identifies opportunities linked to livelihood
options

2

3

3

8

Trainings on safe construction for low-income residents

2

3

3

8

Incorporating informal settlement areas to be covered byrelevant authorities (including compliance with building
codes)

1

2

1

4

Development of catalogue of hazard proof options for lowincome residents that takes into consideration local andaffordable materials that are available

2

2

3

7

Low-cost retrofitting to strengthen existing household
structures, especially roofs

1

3

1

4

Identify financial support options and promote informal
settlements upgrading and regularization of land tenure

1

3

2

6

Localized interventions to improve the housing conditionsof those structures that are identified as being in the worst
conditions

2

3

3

8

Set up disaster management committees to discussdisaster preparedness and response regularly

3

3

3

9

Plan and define evacuation routes

3

3

3

9

Link community level early warning system to formal
networks, city-wide disaster response communications
technologies and procedures.

3

3

3

9

Evacuation drills

3

3

3

9

Reinforce existing governance structures at thecommunity-level to ensure project ownership as theprocess progresses

3

3

3

9

OPTIONS

SDG
CO-BENEFITS

Population key area

25

Korociri Settlement

Interventions in physical, natural and social assets
Trainings and awareness raising
Activities that support the project implementation

These actions were identified as part of the longlist of adaptive measures, and were short-listed forfurther prioritization.

EASE OFIMPLEMENTATIONURGENCY

COST

TOTAL

Strengthen existing youth community groups and promote
their participation project activities

3

3

3

9

Diffusion of assessment results to provide insights on thefindings and promote further action

3

3

3

9

Strengthening community engagement and participation inresilience planning processes

3

2

3

8

Formalization of land tenure, land subdivision andupgrading

1

2

1

4

Awareness raising and clean up campaigns to prevent
ecosystem degradation

3

2

3

8

Provide alternative low-cost cooking technologies that will
reduce the dependency on mangrove firewood

2

2

2

6

Provide adequate waste management options, as waste
is currently being dumped by the community in the nearby
surroundings

3

2

3

8

Trainings and awareness raising on sustainable fishingtechniques and climate change impacts

2

2

3

7

Urban farming area

3

2

3

8

Trainings and awareness raising on sustainable andclimate-resilient agriculture techniques and crops

2

2

3

7

Construction of adequate footpaths across the community

2

3

3

8

Completion (and potential extension) of the existingevacuation center

2

3

3

8

1

3

2

6

OPTIONS

SDG
CO-BENEFITS

Population key area

Urban land use

Natural resource-based production

Critical point facilities

Lifeline utilities
Improved access to piped water supply

26

Korociri Settlement

Interventions in physical, natural and social assets
Trainings and awareness raising activities
Activities that support the project implementation

These actions were identified as part of the longlist of adaptive measures, and were short-listed forfurther prioritization.

EASE OFIMPLEMENTATIONURGENCY

COST

TOTAL

Rainwater harvesting tanks

2

3

3

8

Construction of an adequate drainage network

2

3

3

8

Improved sanitation facilities

2

3

3

8

SDG
CO-BENEFITSOPTIONS

Lifeline utilities

The table below shows the criteria and scores used for the prioritization:
3

2

1

Urgency

3 = High (action is directly
linked to the most pressing
issues identified through theVRA)

2 = Medium (action issomewhat linked to the mostpressing issues identified
through the VRA)

1 = Low (action is derived
from the VRA, but notamong the highest priorities
identified)

Ease ofimplementation

3 = High (action can be
implemented within the project´s timeframe and can be
implemented without external
support)

2 = Medium (action can be implemented within the project´stimeframe but would require
some external support)

1 = Low (action cannot be
implemented within the project´s timeframe and would
require significant support)

3 = High (action can be fully
covered by the project´sfunding)

2 = Medium (action canbe mostly covered by the
project´s funding but would
require some external funding)

1 = Low (action requires
significant external funding)Criteria

Cost

ADAPTATION FUNDHELPING DEVELOPING COUNTRIESBUILD RESILIENCE AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE
The Adaptation Fund finances projects and programmes to help the mostvulnerable communities in developing countries adapt to the negative
effects of climate change.

RISE-UPRESILIENT SETTLEMENTS FOR THE URBAN POOR
RISE UP aims to improve the socio-economic prosperity of the urban
poor by reducing the impact of natural disasters, enhancing urban basic
services and community resilience.

KOROCIRI