Anticipatory Action for Infrastructure Sectors in the Pacific Islands

This report draws on the findings from a regional overview and three case studies of ‘anticipatory action’ in infrastructure sectors in the Pacific Islands. There is huge potential to improve anticipatory action for drought. Currently, when a severe drought is forecasted, it can take eight months for the drought response to begin. Finance can be triggered earlier based on seasonal forecasts. For tropical cyclones, the window of opportunity for anticipatory action is much smaller, so planning is key. Private sector utilities companies have business continuity plans to protect their assets and ensure services can be quickly reinstated. State-owned enterprises and ministries need much more detailed plans, and clearer mandates for ensuring service delivery in outer islands. Government agencies rely on recurrent budgets to pay for anticipatory action; and may be reimbursed later. They would benefit from more reliable and earlier reimbursement, which could be based on a forecast. More detailed disaster impact assessments and vulnerability analysis is needed to design impact-based forecasts focussed on specific infrastructure sectors. These would allow for better operational decisions to be taken when a disaster is imminent.