Project Overview

This GEF project seeks to conserve the ecosystem services of the Fanga’uta Lagoon Catchment on the Tongatapu Island of the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific through an integrated land, water and coastal management approach thereby protecting livelihoods and food production and enhancing climate resilience.  The project is part of the Program on “Pacific Islands Ridge-to-Reef National Priorities – Integrated Water, Land, Forest and Coastal Management to Preserve Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Store carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods” under GEF support, maintaining and enhancing the ecosystem goods and services of Tonga’s main lagoon catchment and marine reserve areas through integrated approaches to land, water, forest, biodiversity and coastal resource management that contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience.  It also makes a stronger linkage between sustainable development of freshwater catchment and coastal areas and promotes the implementation of holistic, integrated management of natural resources at the catchment level.

The project objective is to conserve the ecosystem services of the Fanga’uta Lagoon through an integrated land, water and coastal management approach thereby protecting livelihoods and food production and enhancing climate resilience.  This will be achieved through interventions at two interconnected levels: national (Outcome 1.1, 1.2, and 3.1) and site level (Outcome 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, and 3.1).  Targeting to achieve an integrated management and conservation of the lagoon ecosystem services, the project devises and implements creative ways to address the critical gaps in environmental and ecosystem services conservation in the Fanga’uta Lagoon catchment through the establishment of an effective governance system and sustainable management of the lagoon ecosystems (Component 1); implement integrated environmental management approaches for improving conditions of critical habitats, productivity, water quality and fisheries in the lagoon catchment (Component 2); and strengthen knowledge and awareness of the Fanga’uta Lagoon ecosystem functions and associated socio-economic benefits within the national stakeholders and local communities (Component 3).  Project interventions, which is structured according to these three interconnected components, have been designed and developed through a participatory process facilitated by the Pacific Islands R2R PFD stage and subsequent consultations with the Tongan Government and other stakeholders.

Results Framework

UNDAF Outcome(s):  UNDAF for the Pacific Sub-region 2013-2017 – Outcome Area 1: Environmental management, climate change and disaster risk management

UNDP Strategic Plan Environment and Sustainable Development Primary Corporate  Outcome: Legal and regulatory frameworks, policies and institutions enabled to ensure the conservation, sustainable use, and access and benefit sharing of natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems, in line with international conventions and national legislation (Output 2.5)

UNDP Strategic Plan Secondary Corporate Outcome:

Frameworks and dialogue processes engaged for effective and transparent engagement of civil society in national development (Output 2.4)

Executing Entity/Implementing Partner: Department of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Lands, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources