The overarching objective of PRIME project was to improve the climate resilience of FSM’s Road Network through four pillars: utilizing spatial and sector planning tools, investing in climate resilient infrastructure, strengthening the enabling environment, and supporting post-disaster recovery.

This assignment was part of the first component of the PRIME project and included the development of a vulnerability assessment framework and climate resilient road strategy to assess the level of vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather events across 360 km of FSM’s existing primary and strategy secondary roads (as identified by the GoFSM). Based on the results of such vulnerability assessment, the assignment also identified adaptation options to increase roads resilience, prepared a prioritized plan of investments at short, medium, and long term; reviewed and proposed reforms to sector policy and standards; and supported ongoing capacity building throughout the process.

The scope of works, included the following main tasks:

• Climate Change and Natural Hazard Vulnerability Assessment: (a) Identification of geographical areas and major road assets with higher hazard and exposure risks; (b) Identification of priority geographical areas which are vulnerable to present and future disaster risks; (c) Assessment of the likely severity and frequency of hazard event impacts for all major links of the road network; (d) Assessment of the impact of loss of connectivity and access in priority areas and the impact on the overall network; (e) Provision of capacity building.
• Climate Resilient Road Strategy: (a) Identification of potential climate change and natural hazard adaptation options that respond to the assessed vulnerabilities; (b) Development of a prioritized program of investments to improve climate resilience of the road network; (c) Preparation of tools to assess the vulnerability of road assets to present and future climate events; (d) Review of current road planning processes, institutional and legal framework, national and state standards, and maintenance methods and regimes, and assess their adequacy based on assessed vulnerability; (e) Review of the institutional and legal framework related to Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management and recommend reforms from a road management point of view; (f) Provision of capacity building to GoFSM road sector staff.