Samoa is a volcanic island nation located in the Pacific Ocean and is frequently affected by tropical cyclones that bring damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges. In the past, severe cyclones have caused extensive crop losses and disrupted fishing activities, including preventing large fishing vessels from going to sea. This has significant economic implications, as agriculture and fisheries are among the country’s primary industries (World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal).   

Projected sea level rise associated with climate change is expected to exacerbate coastal erosion, loss of land and property, and the displacement of coastal communities (UNDP Climate Change Adaptation). As a small island developing state, Samoa also faces challenges related to limited adaptive capacity, including gaps in education and research, persistent inequalities, limited investment, and constraints in disaster preparedness (World Risk Report 2024).