The challenge
Vanuatu is facing escalating coastal risks that threaten critical infrastructure, ecosystems and local livelihoods. Coastal erosion is accelerating the loss of community foreshores, leading to the structural compromise of roads, powerlines and other essential assets. Without Intervention, these failures will impose significant economic and social costs. Additionally, coastal flooding is a recurring hazard, exacerbated by Vanuatu’s exposure to cyclones and storm surges. Saltwater inundation from extreme weather events is affecting low-lying foreshore areas, causing severe damage to housing, transportation networks, and public utilities.
Our work
JBP developed the Fatumaru Bay Coastal Protection Roadmap on behalf of the Asian Development Bank, working alongside the Greater Port Vila Urban Resilience Project (GRVURP). The roadmap provides a detailed flood and erosion risk assessment to identify vulnerable locations, at-risk communities, and critical infrastructure. By integrating scientific analysis with local knowledge, the roadmap facilitates government and stakeholder coordination for a pilot project demonstrating nature-based coastal protection measures that could be applied across other parts of the Greater Port Vila foreshore.
A key component of the roadmap is stakeholder engagement, ensuring that government agencies and community groups contribute to risk mapping, policy alignment, and resilience-building efforts. Their input will support the development of an Action Plan that outlines practical strategies, including integrated nature-based shoreline solutions, strengthened governance frameworks, targeted policy and investment recommendations, and capacity-building initiatives for local communities to enhance climate adaptation efforts. The Fatumaru Bay Coastal Resilience Roadmap delivers multiple long-term benefits for the region. By addressing coastal erosion and flooding, the project will reduce vulnerability and protect critical infrastructure, ensuring the safety and well-being of local communities. Improved water quality and the preservation of marine ecosystems will support biodiversity and sustain the environmental health of the bay
