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Tuvalu_STAR_BIORAP Nukufetau 2017_R2R

Project Overview

The project is part of the Pacific R2R program on “Pacific Islands Ridge-to-Reef National Priorities - Integrated Water, Land, Forest & Coastal Management to Preserve Ecosystem Services, Store Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods”.  It is consistent with three of the GEF-5 focal areas including Biodiversity, International Waters, and Land Degradation, and is designed to advance Tuvalu’s work towards achieving national and international priorities in these key focal areas through a comprehensive Ridge to Reef approach.

The project focuses on: enhancing and strengthening conservation and protected areas (Component 1); rehabilitating degraded coastal and inland forests and landscapes and supporting the delivery of integrated water resource management (IWRM) and integrated coastal management (ICM) at a national scale whilst piloting hands-on approaches at the island scale (on three selected pilot islands) (Component 2); enhancing governance and institutional capacities at the national, island, and community levels for enhanced inland and coastal natural resource management (Component 3); and improving data and information systems that would enable improve evidence-based planning, decision-making, and management of natural resources in Tuvalu (Component 4). 

 As such, the project will deliver directly on: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)’s Programme of Work of Protected Areas (PoWPA) of the Aichi Targets and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP 2012 – 2016); the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD)’s National Action Programme (NAP); the Sustainable and Integrated Water and Sanitation Policy (2012 – 2021); and the Climate Change Policy and Action Plan. 

Building on ongoing initiatives , the project will work across the 9 islands of Tuvalu on assessing natural resources status (baseline analysis and data collection), rehabilitating damaged island and coastal ecosystems including forests, and improving or developing Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) governed by the 8 Kaupules and Falekaupules (Island Councils).  These activities assist in the recovery of degraded corals and breeding of fish populations.  By the end of the five year implementation, the project aims to: increase and enhance Tuvalu’s LMMAs, including MPAs, by 15% with 9 formalized community management systems of marine conservation areas across 9 islands equipped with functional management plans; enhance and/or develop a centralized GIS database system on biodiversity, natural resources, and governance systems; implement sustainable land management interventions and agroforestry interventions; carry out remedial measures for algal bloom in Funafuti Lagoon; mainstream Ridge to Reef  into national policies and Kaupule budgets; develop and implement national standard operational procedure on knowledge management; and enhance awareness and build capacities on Ridge to Reef.

The whole of Tuvalu is considered within this R2R project. Only Component 2 focusing on integrated land and water management (LD and IW) are limited to one of, or all 3 islands of Funafuti, Nukufetau and Nanumea, whilst other Components include all 9 islands of Tuvalu. The project will directly benefit the 6,194 people living in the urban capital Funafuti (55% of the population) as well as two outer islands of Nanumea (556 inhabitants) and Nukufetau (540 inhabitants) with improved integrated water and land management measures.  In addition, the project will indirectly benefit the livelihoods of the entire population of Tuvalu through the long-term impacts of the R2R approach and the enhanced management of inland and coastal resources through the additional/improved LMMA/MPA networks formalized in all 9 islands.

Results Framework

UNDAF Outcome(s): 

Environmental management, climate and disaster risk management, in support of an integrated approach to environmental sustainability and efforts by PICT governments and communities to adapt to climate change and reduce and manage disaster risk

UNDP Strategic Plan Primary Outcome:

Outcome 2; Output 2.5:  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;

Expected CPAP/UNDAF Output (s):  

Tuvalu UNDAF Outcome 1.1: National and local authorities and partners enhance resilience of vulnerable communities and natural ecosystems to threats, shocks, disasters, and climate change.

Output 1.1: Strengthened capacity of national and Falekaupule to develop and mainstream integrated policies on natural resources, environment, climate change, disaster risk reduction and  management into national, sectoral, planning and budgetary processes,  

Executing Entity/Implementing Partner:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Tourism, Environment and Labour (MFATTEL) 

Implementing Entity/Responsible Partners:

DOE-MFATTEL, Ministry of Home Affairs and Rural Development (MHARD), Ministry of Natural Resources and UNDP