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The World Bank policy note “Not If, But When” shows the Pacific island countries to be among the world’s most vulnerable to natural disasters. Since 1950, natural disasters have directly affected more than 3.4 million people and led to more than 1,700 reported deaths in the region. In the 1990s alone, reported natural disasters cost the Pacific islands region US$2.8 billion (in real 2004 value). The traditional approach of “wait and mitigate” is a far worse strategy than proactively managing risks.