Overview of regional programmes

1. Experiences, challenges,
lessons and successes with on
the ground adaptation in the
Pacific
Perspectives from the Pacific
Espen Ronneberg
Climate Change Adviser
With thanks to Peniamina Leavai and the
PACC national coordinators

2. About SPREP
• SPREP is a regional inter-governmental
treaty based organisation, HQ in Apia,
Samoa, established in 1991
• Largely involved in all environmental
challenges facing the 21 Pacific Island
Countries and Territories
• 5 Metropolitan members (Australia,
France, New Zealand, United Kingdom
and United States of America)

3. SPREP climate change work
• SPREP supports PICs in the UNFCCC
process (negotiations training, technical
support), in practical mitigation
(renewable energy, efficiency) and
adaptation (water, food, coastal)
projects, and with policy support and
advice
•SPREP is also secretariat for Pacific
Meteorological Council

4. Priorities
• SPREP takes its lead from Members’
priorities
•In adaptation this was based on
synthesis and analysis of all national
reports to the UNFCCC
•Food security, water resources
management, and coastal zone
protection (including assets) were
highest priorities across region

5. Comparative advantage of SPREP
• Excellent network with countries and
other agencies in region
• Staff have worked at nat/reg level
• Developed a manual for projects
• Regional Technical Support Mechanism
with Rapid Response Fund gets TA fast
• Knowledge and experience with
projects as well as challenges
• Able to find synergies with other
environment issues or projects

6. Project development
• Pacific is capacity and resource
constrained
• Capacity supplementation provided by
regional agencies, but they cannot drive
the concept identification
• Officials come forward with ideas, but
not fully developed concepts
• Resources required for consultative
process to develop projects – costs are
higher for some countries

7. Project development challenges
• Countries find requirements difficult
• Studies, reports, consultations - costly
and time consuming, communities feel
over-consulted and want to see results
• Size of concepts for projects very long
• Time consuming to tick all boxes
• Good contact/feedback from the funds,
but flexibility sometimes needed
• Cost of investment vs. project?

8. COOK ISLANDS
COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT
Paul Maoate
Project
Coordinator
Infrastructure
Cook Islands
Mangaia Harbour 1970’s

9. Story
• The Mangaia Harbour is the peoples lifeline for
goods and services, 5 communities total population
572
• Severely damaged by the 2005 cyclones, rough
seas ships will turn around and leave
• Harbour Upgrade Construction began January
2014, completed and officially launched April 2014
• Rough seas experienced during the construction
(Cyclone Mike) the people saw how the new design
has made the harbour much safer and the structure
remained intact
• No More Waiting! ships can easily deliver cargo no
boats have turned around since

10. Outcome
SPENDING ZONE CHANNEL WIDENING CLOSE OLD RAMP
PLATFORM EXTENSIONCONCRETE SEAWALLNEW RAMP

11. Outcome
COMPLETED HARBOUR PROJECT
OFFICIAL OPENNING APRIL 201
PACC MEN

12. Lessons & Practices: Demonstration
• Replication to other
coastal projects
• General layout:
– sheltered area,
– seawalls to disperse
wave energy
– Thicker concrete slab
– Anchored to bedrock
• Constant
collaboration from
beginning, middle
and end
MANIHIKI HARBOUR PROJECT 2014

13. Madelsar T. Ngiraingas, Project Coordinator
Palau Community College, Cooperative Research
Extension

14. Approximately 19 varieties
tested
Palau-PACC dyke system

15. Outcome 2: Demonstration
Labor
intensive

16. From the farm to the table, shelves & markets

17. Outcome: Increased food security
Results:
• Ngimis mesei – from 0.75 acre to 4.5 acres
• Ngimis ridge – from -0- acres to 1.5 acres
• Ollei mesei – from 0.75 acre to 3 acres
• Nekken ridge – from -0- acres to 1.5 acres
• Total - 10.5 acres reclaimed
• Sharing across the Pacific of 3 new salt-tolerant taro
varieties discovered in Palau
Indicator(s): Increase in production area reclaimed
Lessons:
• Clear roles/responsibilities w/community (data
collection)
• Clear project timeline/objectives (what will happen to
their land)

18. Output: traditional practices implemented
& salt tolerant varieties discovered
Results:
• Three mesei farms using PACC dyke system
• Three varieties of salt-tolerant taro: kirang, dirrubong
and dungersuul
Indicator(s): # of farms using dyke system & traditional
methods; # of crop varieties resilient to adverse CC
Lessons:
• Dyke construction context-specific (no one-size)
• Community participation key (laborious)
• Mesei farms trap sedimentation (2014 PICRC study)

19. MARSHALL ISLANDS
Presented by Joseph Cain
PACC RMI National Coordinator
Office of Environmental Planning & Policy Coordination
Office of the President
Majuro, MH96960

20. Outcome 2.1: Increased water security in RMI in times of drought
through demonstration measures to improving water retention
Results:
 percentage of water retention in the reservoir increased from 50% to
80%.
 100% of water retention from the 3 renovated tanks.
 Customer satisfaction with increased access to water from 2-3 hours
per day to 8 hours/day
 Water reservoir during drought situation improved from 3-4 weeks to
3-4 months
Lessons & Practices:
Use legal instruments to consolidate implementation activities
MoUs, TORs, Contracts, tender bidding processes, etc
Conduct assessments to make informed decisions. e.g V&A, CBA
Indicator(s):The reservoir capacity has been increased from 32 million gallons to 36.5
million gallons (approximately 138 million litres). Covers have also been fitted to the
tanks, reducing loss from evaporation; Water access (hrs per day in DUD)
Output 2.1 Demonstration project delivered to improve RMI airport water
storage system

21. Opening of the Majuro reservoir

22. Opening of the Majuro reservoir

23. Opening of the Majuro reservoir

24. TONGA
WATER
Presented by Paula Taufa

25. Map of Tongatapu

26. Community Consultation
Current Water Supply
Problems:
 Unreliability
 Water Quantity
 Water Quality
 Water Pressure

27. With PACC

28. Reservoir Location at Kolovai

29. Solar and Pump House

30. Hihifo Rugby Team carried Reservoir Tanks for about 300
mts

31. SAMOA
COASTAL ZONE
MANAGEMENT
Moira Faletutulu
NPC

32. Output1.1:
Results:
• Bylaw was developed and endorsed by community and
Attorney General’s Office
• Community strengthened governance role to enforce
bylaw for managing water resources
• Bylaw reviewed by all (men, women, youth) where issues
were raised and addressed jointly.
• Community governance decisions pertaining to bylaw
enforcement are recognised in court of law.
Indicator(s):: Tafitoala Water Resource bylaw developed,
endorsed and reviewed
Lessons:
• Build capacity of community to take the lead in
managing their resources. Encourage them to
make a difference.

33. Outcome 2

34. Concluding remarks
• SPREP has championed soft as well as engineered
options, regulatory as well as technical changes
• Ecosystem based approaches are promoted but do
sometimes require engineering assistance
• Community buy-in is crucial, as is also Government
endorsement – top-down/bottom-up
• While PACC has been successful, it is only a limited
number of communities out of 1000’s
• There is a need for better localised science on impacts,
stressors, contributing factors – whole of island/ridge to
reef
• We welcome partnerships!

35. Thank you very much for your attention
Fa’afetai tele lava, kommol tata, malo
aupito
espenr@sprep.org
www.sprep.org
www.pacificclimatechange.net