This document discusses how land planning can strengthen resilience to climate change in Kiribati through sustainable development. It provides background on Kiribati's vulnerable environment as a small island nation. Land planning can promote adaptation by regulating land uses, encouraging mixed and compact development, and designating agricultural land. This supports local food security and economic opportunities in both urban and rural settings. With technical and financial support, Kiribati can effectively formulate and implement land planning and climate change programs.

1. ACP-EU_CTA
REGIONAL POLICY BRIEFING No. 7
Building Resilience in Small Island Economies:
from Vulnerabilities to Opportunities
ENHANCING SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT ON SMALL ISLAND
ECONOMIES
Hotel Victoria, Pointe aux Piments
Mauritius; 23rd ~ 24th April 2012

2. STRENGTHENING
NATIONAL RESILIENCE
THROUGH
IMPLEMENTATION OF
SUSTAINABLE LAND PLANNING
Mr Tarakabu Tofinga
Snr Land Planning Officer
Land Management Division
Ministry of Environment, Lands & Agriculture Dev.

3. Presentation Overview
• Kiribati ~ A Brief Introduction
• Kiribati ~ Environment & Development Context
• Climate Change & Kiribati
• Land Planning & Climate Change
• Strengthening Resilience through Sustainable
Land Planning
• Land Planning, Sustainability & Food Security
– Agricultural Land Uses & Practices
– Agricultural Activities at Urban & Rural Settings
• Summary & Conclusion

4. Kiribati ~ A Brief Introduction
• The Republic of Kiribati (Kiribati) is an island
nation lies astride the equator in the mid Pacific
Ocean
• Consists of 33 low-lying coral atoll islands (total
land area of 800 sq. km) spread across an
oceanic EEZ of 3.5 million square kilometers
• Part of former British colony (Gilbert & Ellice
Islands) gained independence in 1979
• Population of 103,000 (2010 pop. Census)
• 50,402 (48%) lives in S.Tarawa – Capital &
Main Urban Centre of 684 hectare in area

7. Kiribati ~ Environment &
Development Context
• The islands have diverse marine environ for
food, transport, traditional practice & recreation
• The atoll terrestrial environment is more limited
but essential for water, food & shelter
• The people have relied on natural resources for
livelihood & enjoyed relative high standard of
living owing generally to favorable resources for
subsistence living
• Poverty, starvation & severe malnutrition are
generally non-existent with basic food & shelter
readily available for modest efforts

9. Environment & Dev. Context – cont’d
• Dominant transition from traditional subsistence
lifestyle to contemporary market-based
economy has posed key challenges
• Development performance has been poor with
‘stagnating & low economic growth rate’
– Low productivity of investments, inefficient public
enterprises, low return from resource exploitation &
public expenditure forms the bulk of all expenses
• Constraints to sustainable economic growth;
– Isolation & vulnerability, high reservation prices of
labor, land & capital, low standard of workforce
skills…etc. Land tenure is often an issue...

11. Climate Change
• C/Change is complicated by tremendous no. of
variables linked with climate and complex
interaction of atmosphere, ecosystems, ocean
& land forms.
• There’s always level of uncertainty associated
with C/Change predictions
• Often anticipated C/Change impacts on the
natural & built environments includes;
Droughts, flooding, thawing permafrost, storm surge,
sea-level rise, heat waves and other
• IPCC however states that impacts will mostly
manifest themselves in regional/land variables

12. Kiribati & Climate Change
• The fragile physical environment of Kiribati
makes it one of the most vulnerable to the
adverse impacts of C/Change
• The atolls rise 3-4 meters above mean sea
level & a few hundred meters wide
• Inundation, storm surge & erosion will destroy
land areas of the already small islands &
contaminates fresh groundwater lens vital for all
living organisms/farm land – Challenges!!!
• Addressing the predictable impacts dominate
the national environment and development
agenda.

14. Kiribati & Climate Change
• Government has embarked in process of
mainstreaming C/Change adaptation & disaster
risk reduction in its development plan by
implementing series of initiatives such as:
– launch of the Kiribati Adaptation Program (KAP) in
2003 and ongoing phases
– Adoption of Climate Change Adaptation Policy
Note
– Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (‘05)
– Consultation process and consequent adoption of a
National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA-’07)
– Adoption of a 10 years National Integrated
Environment Policy (NIEP: 2012 ~ 2022)

15. Land Planning & Climate Change
• Planning can play an important role in
influencing societal actions that can ‘mitigate’
effects that do occur & allow ‘adaptation’ to
impacts.
• Planner’s role is significant as it deals with
basic issues as community design, land use
and development guidelines
• Planners can play a key role in enhancing
resilience through improved adaptive land uses,
efficient use of climate-sensitive resources ~
(water), promote sustainable land activities
…etc.

16. Strengthening Resilience through
Sustainable Land Planning
• Regulate land uses through zoning considerate
of mitigate/adaptive measures
– Open/Green Space, Environmental Significance
Sites, Sanctuary, Protected Areas & Reserves
• Promote land uses that support sustainability
– Mixed/Compact Uses (commercial/residential/civic),
Agricultural/Farm Land Uses
• Encourage Green Development Standards
– Urban Land Development Guideline & Policies
(solar powers, gardening, natural lights/ventilations
& setbacks from hazard areas…etc.)

20. Land Use, Sustainability & Food
Security ~ Agricultural Land Uses &
Practices
• Agriculture is mainstay of most Pacific Is.
including Kiribati & subsistence farming
continues to be significant/efficient component
of subsistence living & income earning
• Designating land for agricultural initiatives is a
testimony to the efficiency of subsistence
production & improve opportunity for cash
earning in domestic & outside markets
• Agricultural land uses support local food
production & stimulate agro-market system

21. Land Use & Sustainable Agriculture
Dev. ~ Urban Setting
• High population density & competitive demand
for land thus promoting ‘Mixed Land Uses’
– Water Reserve + (Organic) Farming Area
– Urban Development Project & Temaiku Subdivision
• Well established farmers’ associations with
formal setups/nursery, products markets &
readily available land
– Eita Community Farmers Coop, KOFA, Eco-farm…
• Easy access to collaborative technical support
with favorable number of customers
– Agriculture Division & Taiwan Technical Mission

24. Land Use & Sustainable Agriculture
Dev. ~ Rural Setting
• Less population density = non competitive land
use thus easy access to agricultural land
• Informal setups vs. urban but higher yields
• ‘Growth Center Concept’ that will stimulate
more productive agricultural activities & market
system & also aims to decentralize urban
center & promote utilization of idle rural lands &
boost productivity
• Establishment of public services &
infrastructures + easier access to technical
assistances

26. Summary
• Land use planning offers significant C/Change
mitigation & adaptation opportunity
• Land planning has a significant role in the
attainment of sustainability through initiation of
land uses that are conductive to land
productivity especially one that considers food
security & economic development.
• Through commitment & well implemented plans
is realization of opportunities & attainment of
sustainability

27. Conclusion
• Kiribati being a Least developed country (LDC)
& Small Island Developing State (SIDS) it’s
among countries most vulnerable to C/C
• Their special circumstances being LDCs make
them unable to meet costs of adaptation &
SIDS physical susceptibility to effects of C/C.
• Always welcome assistances (technical &
financial) from interested development partners
to effectively/efficiently formulate & implement
relevant programs

28. THANK YOU!!

29. Reference & sources:
• Land Management Division, 2011, Urban Planning & Development Policy,
MELAD-Government of Kiribati, Kiribati
• Environment & Conservation Division, 2011, National Integrated
Environment Policy, Draft Report, MELAD-Government of Kiribati, Kiribati
• Asian Development Bank, 1995, Strategy for the Pacific; Policies & Program
for Sustainable Growth, Manila, Philippines.