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FIJI Post-Disaster Needs Assessment The distribution of losses (F$ million) for each division is shown in Figure 33. 300 250 Losses (F$ million) 200 150 100 50 0 Western Western Western Western Figure 33: Losses to the Environment Sector by Division Source: Estimations by Assessment Team. Native forests Mangrove Coral reefs Social Impact of Damage and Losses Damage to the ecosystem and the services it provides is already affecting people (Box 1), and the impacts are likely to continue for at least a decade. Recovery efforts are aimed at reducing the timeframes of these impacts while supporting the recovery of ecosystem services and meeting some of the livelihood needs. Box 1: Damage to Reef: Changing lives and livelihoods of people The village of Namatala in Ra Province is a small typical coastal village with 24 households and 114 people that rely on fishing for their protein and cash income. TC Winston brought a lot of changes; the channels used to canoe through are now peppered with one metre tall “boulders” of coral, deposited by the storm surge generated by the cyclone. One of these boulders is 20m by 3m and has formed an island of dead coral mixed with shells unknown to people in the village, although they suspect these were lifted from deep waters. Half of the coral reef that is home to the fish they catch is damaged; coastline that was previously fine sand is now littered with rocks and coral “boulders”; the deeper waters are shallower; and their two fishing grounds were completely destroyed. The routes to the fishing areas, which were so well known to the community that they could be traversed at night without fear, have drastically changed. Following TC Winston, sea cucumbers, eels and other fish lay dead on the beaches, floated on the surface of the water and were deposited deep into the mangrove areas. The lives and the livelihoods of the people of Namatala village are now very uncertain. Recovery and Reconstruction Needs for the Environment (F$74 million) Total needs are estimated at F$73.9 million (Table 68). For effective recovery of environmental assets, a number of activities that build on ongoing programmes as well as some new ones are proposed and costed. Many of these translate into additional operational costs, such as those incurred in the management and control of invasive tree species like the African tulip. To enable coral reefs to rehabilitate and recover for the first two years, pressure on inshore fisheries must be reduced and interventions like the deployment of FADs will help provide alternative food and protein sources to communities. An ecological survey of damaged areas (for all environmental assets) and the sustained monitoring of information on the status of assets in the medium to long term are recommended. The establishment of a government centralized database to maintain and regularly update information and data is pivotal to recovery efforts and should be supported by community partners, NGOs and academia, where relevant. Interventions for clearing debris will differ in cities, villages and agricultural areas, both in terms of methodology and equipment needed. Special treatment for hazardous wastes is critical and must be supported accordingly. 98 Tropical Cyclone Winston, February 20, 2016
FIJI Post-Disaster Needs Assessment Table 68: Total Recovery and Reconstruction Needs for the Environment Sector (F$ million) Increase operational cost to farmers to manage invasive tree species Strengthen and enforce planning and environmental legislative and institutional frameworks Recovery Reconstruction Resilience Total 10.1 10.1 5.0 5.0 Provide operational funds for FADs 0.9 0.9 Increase operational costs for the management of protected coral reef, mangrove and native forest reserves/national parks Increased cost of ecological surveys, damage assessment, monitoring and recovery of ecosystem asset and establishing a centralised database Clearance of debris in cities and villages (housing, green waste, etc.) and clearance of agricultural land Special treatment for potentially recyclable/reusable material and hazardous waste 3.0 3.0 8.2 8.2 28.1 28.1 5.5 5.5 Replanting of mangroves 1.8 1.8 Assisting recovery of coral reefs through transplants and protection Waste processing equipment (cost of compactor and shredders) 4.7 4.7 6.6 6.6 Total 60.8 13.1 73.9 Source: Estimations by Assessment Team. Note: A detailed breakdown of recovery needs by sector is included in Annex 2. In economic terms, damage and losses to ecosystems are extensive in the provinces affected by TC Winston. The monetary values reflect the richness of Fiji’s ecosystems and their importance to its people, livelihoods and the economy. The proposed and costed activities are aimed at supporting recovery of these ecosystems and are relatively modest compared to estimated losses. However, for the people and their livelihoods, the time that the ecosystems will need to recover will also mean continued socioeconomic impacts. Thus, ensuring that people’s needs are met through other support (such as FADs) is critical for guaranteeing that ecosystems are not placed under additional pressure and have time to recover and help meet the people’s needs in the near future. 3.4.2 Gender and Social Inclusion Summary The impact of TC Winston will be felt along the social lines and disparities that exist within Fijian society. Gender inequality is one of the determinants that has shaped not just who has been adversely affected by the disaster, but also who has the capacity to recover from it. It will also determine men’s and women’s participation in and benefit from recovery interventions and their general resilience to future disasters. Women, who make up about 49 percent of the Fijian population, are the largest disadvantaged population that has been negatively affected by TC Winston. While men are overrepresented in waged on- and off-farm employment, the high burden of reproductive work confines women to the poorly remunerated informal sector, particularly subsistence agriculture, which leaves them with no income security to respond to the disaster. Yet women’s subsistence activities and earnings contribute directly to nutritional security and household economic welfare and foster human welfare. The impact of the cyclone on women may, therefore, result in increasing dependency on subsistence economic activity, increasing time poverty, deepening their poverty and widening gender inequality. While women have been disproportionately impacted by the cyclone, simply viewing them as victims only exacerbates their vulnerability. Instead, recognizing that they have knowledge, social capital and skills critical for recovery is important. Recovery interventions in housing and productive sectors present an opportunity to start redressing some of the inequalities that put women in a disadvantageous position. The gender gap of 34.9 percent points in labour force participation rates suggests significant opportunity to engage more women in recovery and reconstruction to rebuild their livelihoods, increase their asset base and achieve long-term resilience. Ensuring that no discrimination exists based on sex, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability at all stages of the recovery process is also crucial. Tropical Cyclone Winston, February 20, 2016 99
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Damage to Ovalau Resort Source: Min
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