The Pacific Risk Resilience Programme (PRRP) is a large-scale risk governance programme in one of the most vulnerable regions to disasters and climate change in the world. The US$16.1 million Pacific Risk Reduction Programme (PRRP) is being delivered through a partnership between the Australian Government Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and international NGOs Live and Learn Environmental Education (LLEE) and the Mainstreaming of Rural Development Initiative (MORDI). The Programme is helping to build the national and regional risk governance enabling environment to improve the resilience of Pacific communities. It is being delivered in four Pacific island countries - Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga and Fiji.

In the crowded Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (CCDRM) space in the region, PRRP places less emphasis on technical aspects of service delivery and more on bringing risk governance initiatives directly into the mainstream of sustainable development. Ways of achieving this involve supporting change in systems and institutions as well as in behaviour and capacity of individuals. This requires unprecedented levels of inclusiveness, engagement with and collaboration between partners, as well as clearer formulation and understanding of the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of governments, communities, the private sector, civil society, development partners and other stakeholders.

The Programme is taking a capacity development approach that aims to bring about transformation in changing mindsets and attitudes that is generated and sustained over time from within Pacific countries. It will help enhance risk management capacities through: targeted training which introduces new ideas and methods of doing things (for instance PRRP is training central agency development planners to integrate disaster and climate risk parameters into the planning process in Solomon Islands); quality and timely technical and policy support (for instance PRRP is working with the Government of Solomon Islands to manage the post-disaster recovery process following recent floods in April 2014); effective networking through strong partnerships and relationships; and providing access to good practices and lessons learned.

PRRP is a partnerships-based programme. Crucial to its success is the enabling of existing networks and modalities and building upon, complementing, harmonising with and leveraging from the range of government and development partner programmes in the four target countries. Work to date has embedded PRRP within national priorities including the identification of risk governance champions within government and civil society. The Programme has already encouraged participation and ownership from governments and civil society groups, as well as partnerships with a range of regional and international agencies (many of whom have existing relationships with UNDP, LLEE and DFAT).

UNDP DFAT Live and Learn Environmental Education MORDI Vanuatu Climate Adaptation Network Governments of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga and Fiji