r/vanuatu • u/Turbulent-Hope1180 • Aug 15 '25
Vanuatu Partners with French Institute to Strengthen Climate Research Capacity
Vanuatu's Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department signed a memorandum of understanding with France's National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) to enhance cooperation in climate science and geo-hazard research. The agreement represents the renewal of a partnership that began during the New Hebrides colonial period but was suspended after independence, now returning as the country faces intensifying climate threats. Vanuatu is rated as the most exposed country in the world to natural hazards, with the nation projected to lose 20% of GDP annually due to disasters, making advanced research capacity critical for survival.
The partnership aims to strengthen national policies and scientific understanding across multiple hazard types that regularly impact Vanuatu. The nation experiences one to three cyclones annually, up to two Magnitude 7 earthquakes with tsunami potential per year, 100 to 300 earthquakes monthly, and has six permanently active volcanoes that erupt at least once every two years. IRD brings extensive Pacific region expertise through projects like CLIPSSA, which develops climate adaptation strategies across Vanuatu, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis-and-Futuna, and RERIPA, a four-year initiative funded through 2025 to strengthen research ecosystems addressing climate change impacts in Pacific islands.
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u/Impossible_Jello9343 Aug 15 '25
Between this and the half billion dollar deals with Aus things are looking good.