FRISFiji Resilient Informal Settlements

Sigatoka town, Fiji

Kulukulu settlement

COMMUNITY-BASEDVULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
AND ACTION PLANKULUKULU

Kulukulu 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, Margot Lootens.
Design and Layout:
Lydia Ogden, Marion Reinosa, Begoña Peiro
Citation:
Peiró, B.; Vargues, S.: Kulukulu Settlement (Fiji) Community-Based Vulnerability Assessment and Climate
Action Plan (Abridged Version). UN-Habitat, Government of Fiji, 2022.

Kulukulu Settlement

CONTENTS
1.

Introduction					Page 5

2.

Methodology					Page 9

3.

Kulukulu 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 VA and AP

4.1 Climatic features and hazards
4.2 Community perceptions of key impacts
5.1 Climate Change Projections
5.2 Extreme climate events future risk

Page 12

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

KULUKULU

Page 223

House in Kulukulu Settlement
UN-Habitat/Geeta Singh1

Kulukulu Settlement

5

INTRODUCTION
The Kulukulu 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 guide the implementation of projects under component 3 of the FRIS project(i.e., 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 Sigatoka town, including Kulukulu1

1. Prepared by: Kamsin Raju, Nadi Town Council

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Kulukulu 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 percent of the total land area and are also
the most 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.
Kulukulu settlement is located 2 kilometers south-west of the centre of Sigatoka Town, outside of
the town boundary and next to the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park (see Figure 1). Sigatoka isa coastal town located in the southwest side of Viti Levu, at approximately 60 kilometers distancefrom Nadi Town. It has a total area of 177 hectares and a total population of 10,509 people9. As
compared to the average annual rate of population in Fiji over the decade up to 2017 (0.6 per cent),
Sigatoka’s urban population growth has been higher, with a 0.89 percent per year in the town area10.

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 6.
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

Kulukulu Settlement

7

The geography of Sigatoka valley, with the Sigatoka river and terraced land, creates favorable
conditions for agricultural production9. As a result, Sigatoka valley is the main vegetable production
center on Viti Levu (approximately 80 percent of Fiji’s vegetable production11) and is commonlyreferred to as Fiji’s ‘salad bowl’. In addition to being important for agricultural production, water fromthe Sigatoka river is diverted by the Nadarivatu dam for hydroelectric power12. The Sigatoka Riverestuary is also valuable to surrounding communities who depend on it for fruits, vegetables, fish andshellfish. These products are used for both subsistence and commercial purposes.

11. Nadroga-Navosa Provincial Council, Sustainability Research Center at the University of the Sunshine Coast. (2017).
The Human Face of the Sigatoka River Estuary. https://issuu.com/ecrg/docs/human_face_sigatoka_river_estuary
12. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2016). Country Profile – Fiji. http://www.fao.org/3/
ca0385en/CA0385EN.pdf

House and resident of Kulukulu Settlement
UN-Habitat/Geeta Singh

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Kulukulu Settlement

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE COMMUNITY-BASEDVULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
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 Kulukulu, 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.

Kulukulu settlement with the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National park in the backUN-Habitat/Begoña Peiro

2

Kulukulu 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)13•
Site visits and participatory mapping•
Key Informant Interviews (KII)•
VA 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

13. 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
84 per cent of the households in Kulukulu settlement. 36 households were surveyed, out of a total of 43 households that were identified
in the settlement at the time when the HHS was carried out.

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Kulukulu Settlement

3

KULUKULU SETTLEMENT
Being situated outside of Sigatoka’s town boundary, Kulukulu is part of the Nadroga-Navosa Rural
Area and under the jurisdiction of the Sigatoka Town Council. Kulukulu settlement covers an areaof approximately 3.1 hectares and is situated along Kulukulu road. It measures approximately 250
meters in length between its longest points and 156 meters in width.
The total surveyed population amounts to 152 people14, from which 82 are male and 70 are female.
The estimated total population in Kulukulu is 182 people15. In terms of age distribution, persons aged
from 0 to 14 years old represent almost half (45%) of the total population. The youth age group (1524) only accounts 14% of the total population. There is a total of five people aged over 75, and only
four within the 70-74 age range. Most of the households (71%) have been living in the settlement forover 20 years, with 11% having lived there for over 50 years. The average size of household in Kulukulu
is 4.3 persons, however this ranges from 2 to 11 people amongst those households surveyed.
14. 36 out of 43 households were surveyed.

15. For those households that were not surveyed the average size of household is used.

36
43
1
182

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

31.000 m
4.862 m0m
26.138 m

2

2

Total area within boundary
Residential buildings area

2

Civic buildings area

2

Open space area

House in Kulukulu settlement
UN-Habitat/Geeta Singh4

Kulukulu Settlement

11

CLIMATIC FEATURES, HAZARDS, PERCEPTIONS
4.1 CLIMATIC FEATURES AND HAZARDSFiji is generally considered to be an oceanic tropical marine climate16. There are two distinct seasonsnamely, a warm wet season from November to April and a cooler dry season from May to October17.
Regarding climate variability, the major features driving climate in Fiji are18:•

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 country19.

•

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
Based on primary data collected, residents face key challenges due to a number of hazards, including cyclones, floods, extreme heat, and drought.

56%
93%
12%

of households highlighted sand slides
as the most problematic hazard.
of households highlighted cyclones amongst
the top three most problematic hazards.
of households highlighted drought and extreme
heat as the most problematic hazards.

16. 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
17. 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.
18. Government of Fiji. (2018). Climate Vulnerability Assessment – Making Fiji Climate Resilient.
19. Ibid

KEY FINDINGS:
Kulukulu residents reported being impacted in different ways by the recurrence of hazards:

92%

31%

5%

5%

5%

of respondents
identified damage toproperty as a major
concernof respondents wereconcerned about
impacts on physicalhealthof respondents wereconcerned with theimpact on their ability
to earn an incomeof respondents wereconcerned with theimpact on their mental
healthof respondents wereconcerned with
the impact on theirability to take careof dependents

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Kulukulu Settlement

5

CLIMATE CHANGE AND FUTURE RISKS
5.1 CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTIONS20
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

Mean sea level will continue to rise, with projected increases of 38–87
cm by 2090 under the RCP8.5

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.

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

Children playing in Kulukulu settlement
UN-Habitat/Geeta SinghKulukulu Settlement

13

Figure 3 Main hazards that affect Kulukulu settlement and primary and secondary impacts21 22

2050

Surface airtemp. + 1.3º C

HAZARDSPRIMARY IMPACTS

SECONDARY IMPACTS

CycloneEffects on
fauna & flora

Fewer ecosystemservices

Flooding

Difficult tocatch fish

Lower
incomeRainstormLivestock
deathsMalnutrition

DroughtCropfailureRelocation

Extremeheat

HealthissuesFewer jobs

Landslides

Lack ofdrinking water

Higher foodpricesOcean
acidification

Damage tohousesProperty
lossesDamage toinfrastructure

Accessibility
issuesMaximum air
temp. + 1.4º C

1% increasein rainAragonitesaturation-0.7 Ωar21. Climate projections based on: PACCSAP Program, (2014). Climate Variability, Extremes and Change in the Western Tropical Pacific: New Scienceand Updated Country Reports.
22. 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.

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Kulukulu 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)23.

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.
23. PACCSAP Program, (2014). Climate Variability, Extremes and Change in the Western Tropical Pacific: New Science and Updated Country
Reports.

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Kulukulu Settlement

15

VULNERABILITY
Kulukulu'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 efforts24. 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 centers25. Moreover,people with disabilities and especially women are at particular risk of domestic violence due to theirintersecting vulnerabilities26. 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.
21. UN Women. (2014). Climate change, Disaster and Gender-Based Violence in the Pacific.
22. UN Women. (2013). The 2012 Fiji Floods: Gender Sensitivity in Disaster Management.
23. Government of The Republic of Fiji (GoF). (2017). Climate Vulnerability Assessment. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank Group.

”This is a small settlement, where families do nothave proper lease for their land. I had to get marriedat the age of 18 and moved to live with my family inLautoka. However, I returned to Kulukulu settlement
after 5 years of my marriage to come and take careof my sick maternal grandparents. When I returnedto the settlement where I spend my childhood I saw
many changes that have taken place in the area, many
houses and people came to settle in the area.
I had been working at a resort, however later I had toleave work to take care of my family. For our living myhusband is working as a carpenter by profession. To
support my family after I left job I have been doing
backyard gardening, I planted vegetables such as
cabbage, egg plant, chilli, long bean, coriander. I
do not have enough space for backyard gardening,
therefore I was very much grateful to the UN-Habitat

who introduced a new method of doing farming that is
the hydroponic farming in which we planted cabbage.
It was very interesting way of farming method as thiswas my first attempt and I enjoyed the final result of
this method.
Over the years many things around my area havechanged, there have been proper road constructed
for the school children and general public. There is
garbage services provided in the area from Sigatoka
Town Council which helps in solid waste management
and reduces the land pollution in the area. There
are projects that are being executed by the nongovernment organisations that provide us withtrainings and support us with backyard farming, whichassists many families in the area.
Ashika, Kulukulu resident and mother of three[No real names are used in this report]

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Kulukulu Settlement

Residents of Kulukulu settlement
UN-Habitat/Geeta SinghKulukulu Settlement17

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 affected24.
Kulukulu occupies an approximate total area of 3.1 hectares and is located along the coast next toa natural protected area, the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park. Its social, economic and natural
systems are exposed to multiple hazards. The map below shows the key elements and main hazards
identified by community members during participatory workshops (see Figure 3).
The majority of the households reported having issues related to cyclones and sand dune
encroachment. Other hazards highlighted as the most problematic include flash flooding, droughts,
extreme heat, vector-borne diseases and salt intrusion. Sand slides were highlighted as the mostproblematic hazard by 58 per cent of the households, 18 per cent mentioned cyclone, drought was
identified by 12 and the remaining 12 per cent mentioned extreme heat as the most problematic
hazard.
Community representatives explained how TC Winston (2016) severely impacted the community inseveral ways. Almost all houses were affected, particularly due to proceeded rainstorm and strong
winds which led to floods and sand encroachment. 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 Kulukulu with almost all houses
getting affected by strong winds and sand encroachment. Regarding TC Harold (2020), participants
highlighted that it caused floods across the settlement, with water levels reaching approximately
0.4 meters.
Figure 4 Hazard exposure map developed in participatory workshops

24. 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

18

Kulukulu Settlement

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

CYCLONE

FLASH FLOODING

SALT INTRUSIONLANDSLIDESLIGHTNING& THUNDERSTORMRAINSTORMDROUGHTEXTREME HEATWATER-BORNEDISEASES

VECTOR-BORNEDISEASES

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

6.3 SENSITIVITY
Sensitivity is defined as the degree to which a system or species
is affected, either adversely or beneficially, by climate variability orchange25.

(i) Population
The dependency ratiox in the settlement is 53.5, which is slightly below the national dependency
ratio of 54x. Young dependents make 85 per cent of the total dependents, while elderly people (agedover 65) make the other 15 per cent. According to the information collected through the household
survey, the ratio of young people (aged between 15 to 24) who are neither in employment nor in
education and training is 67 per cent in the settlement.

(ii) Urban Land Use
The town council is responsible for ensuring that buildings are compliant with the building code.
However, often, compliance is not checked in informal settlements. However, compliance is notchecked in informal settlements. There are only residential buildings in the settlement. 47 percent of
the houses in Kulukulu have been reported as built after the year 1980. All houses in the settlement
are one story high with most of them located on a relatively flat terrain.
25. 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

94%

of houses have metalroofs. 44% were ranked
as being in below
average conditions

86%of houses are builtwith metal exterior walls,
and 44% were ranked as
being in below average

86%of the houses are built
on a flat terrain, withnone of them being
built on stilts

100%of the houses have asingle storey

Kulukulu Settlement

19(iii) Natural Resource-based Production
In Kulukulu, a relatively small proportion (36 percent) of households is growing crops. Low
land productivity levels are either related to the lack of land available and to the quality of thesoil. Dependency on fishing is relatively low, with 39 percent of the households reporting to fish
frequently. Coral bleaching and ocean acidification represent a threat to the availability of fish.
Participants reported that after cyclones and floods, an increase in the number of crabs available
had been perceived whereas the quantity of fish decreases during these events. On the other hand,the proportion of households relying on livestock for food (47 percent) is higher than on crops andfishing.

(iv) Critical Point Facilities & Infrastructure
Kulukulu is located along Kulukulu Road, directly accessible from Queen’s road (the main throughway
in Fiji). The Kulukulu Road is unpaved for its entire length and occurrences of flooding have beenreported by the community due to inadequate capacity of existing drainage networks. Some
residents also stressed facing challenges with the dust that regularly comes from the unpaved
road. With regards to access to transportation, there is a bus stop at the entrance of the settlement,along Kulukulu Road. The only challenge identified by the participants was the need for building
an appropriate covered structure to provide a thermally comfortable space for the community(especially children) while waiting for the transport to come.

(v) Lifeline Utilities
All households in Kulukulu have access to piped water supply in the dwelling. When asked about thequality of the water, 44 percent reported that the quality was good, 45 percent ranked as average and8 percent reported that the quality of water was poor.
Kulukulu does not have access to sewerage infrastructure. The majority of the households (86percent) reported being connected to septic tanks. 14 percent of the households have latrines withconcrete slabs. All the households have access to an improved sanitation facility.
Kulukulu has no access to waste collection services provided by the city council. 92 percent ofhouseholds reported burning domestic waste, which poses risks to residents’ health and highly
contributes to environmental pollution. There is a lack of access to clean and modern fuels andtechnologies for cooking, with an equal proportion of households relying on gas and kerosene, andfirewood to a lesser degree. Among the impacts related to the use of inadequate cooking fuels are
not only health issues, but also environmental pollution. “Fuel-stacking” is a common issue that has
been identified in all the households. This is generally formed by a combination of either kerosene orgas with fuelwood.
Waste in Kulukulu settlement
UN-Habitat/Geeta Singh20

Kulukulu Settlement

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 consequences26.
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 household27.
There are limited financial resources available at the household level. The average income is low andaccess to financial assistance and social protection services is also low.
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.

22%

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

36%

households mentioned
having accessto the social pension
scheme13%

have access tothe food voucher program

58%

households reported
not having accessto any social
protection programs.

Most respondents indicated that they have access to information on climate change, either
through technology (including radio, television, etc.) (34 households), or through social media (12households). Only one household mentioned having been involved in trainings.
With regards to disaster preparedness, a large proportion of households reported having accessto early warning systems. 29 households through SMS alerts, 34 through radio, and six throughcommunity notification systems. 16 households mentioned having an evacuation plan, but nonereported being connected to a formal disaster and risk reduction (DRR) network.
When asked about the types of post-disaster assistance that the household had received in the past,
15 households reported not having received any kind of aid in the past. 14 respondents mentioned
having received cash, 5 households mentioned having received food items and one respondent
reported having received FNPF.

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
27. UN-Habitat, 2014. Planning for Climate Change.

Kulukulu Settlement21(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 institutions28.
Information on the collective capacity at the settlement level was collected from workshops
organized with community members and through the household survey. There is a lack of financial
capital at the community-level, as there are no collective savings groups or systems in place. Eachindividual household relies on their own resources to address impacts, and as already mentioned
above, these are limited.
There is a lack of awareness and robust mechanisms of early warning systems, evacuation routes anddisaster management committees in the settlement. Despite individual households reporting having
access to early warning systems (either through radio or SMS), the community is not connected
to a formal DRR network nor has a formal evacuation plan. There is some degree of coordination,
as indicated by the relatively high number of households that are aware of the evacuation center
available in case of disaster events which is the Kulukulu Public School located less than 500 meters’
distance from the settlement. Informal settlements lack many of the institutional support structuresthat are available to households with tenure.
There are community leadership structures in place community (e.g. established community leader)and all community mentioned being well connected to various sources of information, however, there
are currently no organized community groups in place.

(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)29.
Fiji’s 5 –Year and 20-Year National Development plans lay out the country’s development agenda
in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals and Nationally Determined Contribution under theParis Agreement. Fiji’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) further articulates Fiji’s priorities in
reducing present and future 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.
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 (e.g., mangrove conservation projects in Lami Town Council). The
NAP is meant to provide mechanisms and arrangements that will allow to progress local government
facilitation, promoting bottom- up approaches at district and community 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 Kulukulu 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.
28. Ibid
29. Ibid

22

Kulukulu 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 SDGs30. 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)31 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 harvestingtanks to ensure 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 theresults from the community 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

30. Ministry of Economy, Republic of Fiji, (2019). National Climate Change Policy 2018-2030.
31. 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

Kulukulu Settlement

23

will be implemented as part of the FRIS project. However, it must be noted that the fact that the options havebeen shortlisted does not mean 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 as from 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

3

Urban farming and rainwater harvesting

1

Improved sanitation facilities

4

Storage units for livelihood materials

2

Covered meeting area

5

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

2

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

7

WASH trainings that target adults and children

3

Disaster preparedness and response related activities

6

Training on financial literacy and social protection programs

4

Community involvement in elimination of larval habitats (throughclean up campaigns and awareness raising)1

Awareness raising on domestic violence

5

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.

24

Kulukulu 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

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

2

3

7

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

Awareness raising campaigns that promote moresustainable options to solid waste management

25

Kulukulu 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

2

2

3

7

Improvement of road conditions

1

2

2

5

Storage units for livelihood materials

2

3

3

8

Construction of an evacuation center

2

3

3

8

Covered meeting area

2

3

3

8

OPTIONS

SDG
CO-BENEFITS

Population key area

Urban land use

Natural resource-based production

Urban farming area with rainwater harvesting
Trainings and awareness raising on sustainable andclimate-resilient agriculture techniques and crops

Critical point facilities

26

Kulukulu 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

Construction of an adequate drainage network

2

3

3

8

Improved sanitation facilities

2

3

3

8

Improved piped water supply

2

2

2

6

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.

KULUKULU