Enhancing Climate Resilient Planning and Decision Making in the Republic of Marshall Islands

Enhancing climate resilient planning and decision making in the Republic of Marshall Islands

Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

21 September 2018 Enhancing climate resilient planning and decision making in the Project Title: Republic of Marshall Islands

Country: Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI)

Mr. Clarence Samuel Director National Designated Authority Office of Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination (OEPPC) (NDA): PO Box 975, Majuro 96960, Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Executing Entities: (SPREP) Office of Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination (OEPPC)

Accredited Entity (AE): SPREP

Date of first submission/ [2018-09-21] [V.0] version number:

Date of current submission/ [2018-08-21] [V.0] version number

Please submit the completed form to [email protected], using the following name convention in the subject line and file name: “CN-[Accredited Entity or Country]-YYYYMMDD”

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A. Project Information (max. 1 page) ☒ Project A.2. Public or private ☒ Public sector A.1. Project or programme ☐ Programme sector ☐ Private sector

Mitigation: Reduced emissions from:

☐ Energy access and power generation

☐ Low emission transport

☐ Buildings, cities and industries and appliances A.3. Indicate the result ☐ Forestry and land use areas for the Adaptation: Increased resilience of: project/programme ☒ Most vulnerable people and communities

☐ Health and well-being, and food and water security

☐ Infrastructure and built environment

☒ Ecosystem and ecosystem services TBC – The direct beneficiaries are decision makers, planners, personnels A.5. Estimated working on Climate A.4. Estimated mitigation adaptation impact Change Adaptation impact (tCO2eq over N/A (number of direct relevant programming lifespan) beneficiaries and % of in coastal zones, water population) resources, agriculture and food security, and urban habitation (the “priority sectors”). Amount: USD 10M + (co-finance A.7. Indicative GCF A.6. Indicative total project TBC) funding requested (max USD 10M cost (GCF + co-finance) 10M) A.8. Mark the type of financial instrument ☒ Grant ☐ Reimbursable grant ☐ Guarantees ☐ Equity requested for the GCF Other: specify______funding A.9. Estimated duration of a) disbursement period: 6 years A.10. Estimated project 6 years project: lifespan A.11. Is funding from the A.12. Confirm overall Yes ☐ No ☒ Project Preparation ESS category is ☒ C or I-3

Facility needed? minimum to no risk1

The project is focused on the use of applied research and Geographic Information System (GIS) to improve access to climate vulnerability and climate change impacts data and information to establish island-specific and robust baseline from which to gauge projected climate change and effective response. The project activities will include soft measures such as building national and local level capacity in gathering and using applied research, GIS, and climate vulnerability and climate impacts data and information as tools for informing decision making and planning for resilient development in RMI. The project will A.13. Provide rational for set up coordination mechanism as well as system and process to improve the gathering, the ESS categorization use and disseminaton of GIS and climate vulnerability and climate impacts data and (100 words) information. Other soft measures that the project will be focused on include the development of relevant data policy, data collection and sharing protocols and establishing a data repository system.. The project will further develop decision making and planning tools using information from the repository system. Communication and knowledge products on GIS and climate vulnerability and impacts will also be developed. These priority actions have been identified by RMI as actions that will contribute to making informed decisions to improve climate resilient planning for the safety, socio-economic well-being, prosperity and sustainable livelihoodsof Marshallese.

1 Refer to the SAP ESS Guidelines

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In terms of climate resilient and sustainable development aspirations for RMI, the project is consistent with the national sustainable development frameworks such as the National Strategic Plan 2015-2017, National Climate Change Policy Framework (2011) on Adaptation and Reducing Risks for a Climate Resilient Future, and the Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management 2014-2018. The project will address key challenges faced by RMI in dealing with climate variability and change especially in terms of access to research, data, and information gaps.

The project activities have been screened and pose no foreseeable threat against the GCF (or SPREP) ESS risk areas. A.14. Has the CN been ☐ Confidential Yes ☒ No ☐ A.15. Confidentiality2 shared with the NDA? ☒ Not confidential Policy narratives

At the policy level, the project will contribute directly to the implementation and achievement of the goals of the National Strategic Plan 2015-2017 (NSP). Specifically, the project will address the Environment, Climate Change and Resiliency Sector Development objectives of the NSP by implementing aspects of the 3 strategic areas identified in the plan: Vulnerability Assessment and Disaster Risk Reduction; Disaster Management and Response and Conservation Resource Management. The applied research, GIS system and process, climate vulnerability and impacts data and information from the project will be used in decision making and planning and contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the other 4 priority sectors of the NSP and their related strategic areas:

• Social Development • Infrastructure Development • Sustainable Economic Development • Good Governance

Under Goal 2 of the Republic of Marshall Island’s (RMI) National Climate Change Policy Framework (2011) on Adaptation and Reducing Risks for a Climate Resilient Future, A.16. Project rationale, the policy aims to achieve the following outcomes through a “Whole of objectives and approach Government/Island” approach: of programme/project (max 100 words) • Improved national and local capacity to undertake technical vulnerability, adaptation assessments and planning, including the interpretation and application of climate data and information and cost-benefit analysis of various adaptation options; • The resilience of community livelihoods and vulnerable groups including the youths and children are strengthened; • Key stakeholders, including traditional land owners, are integrated in the planning and implementation of adaptation programmes at all levels, including gender- specific roles; • Sound and accurate baseline information is available to support adaptation planning; and • An integrated approach for data management is established, based on a review of existing data collection and storage, including options for consolidating different types and sources of data and applications.

In 2015, RMI submitted its Second National Communication Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and highlighted in the report the limitation on knowledge, data, tools and technology required to adequately address climate change and disaster risk management including making sound decisions on future climate reponses. Limited databases on solid waste, coastal management and water quality have been identified as key constraints including limited access to geographic information systems for spatial and land use to support effective mapping,

2 Concept notes (or sections of) not marked as confidential may be published in accordance with the Information Disclosure Policy (Decision B.12/35) and the Review of the Initial Proposal Approval Process (Decision B.17/18).

Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1 GREEN CLIMATE FUND | PAGE 3 OF 5 assessment, monitoring, and reporting. The report also highlights that there are inadequate data management systems and no proper system set up for the sharing of data and information.

RMI’s 2016 State of Environment Report highlights that spatial analysis capacity needs to be developed to support coastal protection planning. The report also highlights the need to establish and produce guidelines for coastal protection initiatives with vulnerable areas clearly identified to inform planning and guide the public on where they could live. The lack of building codes and land use planning was also highlighted in the report and it was recommended to develop regulations and guidelines for proper housing codes and land use planning to reduce impacts from extreme climate events.

The review of RMI’s Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management 2014-2018 (JNAP) in March 2018 highlights the following as the four key barriers in the achievemnegt of the JNAP goals.

• Core Barrier 1: The structuring of government portfolios, agency mandates and the division of responsibilities between sectors and ministries. • Core Barrier 2) Communication Challenges • Core Barrier 3) Human Resource Challenges and Capacity-building constraints • Core Barrier 4) Changing financial dynamics and the impact of uncertainty on budget planning.

The project will implement some of the recommendations from the review such as the recommendation under Information Management and Partnerships on the development of effective and consistent communication networks, partnerships, mechanisms for consistent data collection, and effective records and information management are cross- cutting requirements for addressing disaster risk, climate change adaptation, outer island service delivery, and equitable development priorities.

Data and information gaps

• A GIS User Group exist (made up of 6 people) but the group is yet to be formalized. The group meets when needed, to discuss GIS project implementation as well as sharing of GIS data and information. However, not all the data and information collected are shared even amongst the members and there is no data repository system where environment and climate vulnerability and impactsa data are stored.

• The Coastal Management Advisory Council (CMAC) exist to discuss and provide advice to grelevant government authorities as well as other stakeholders on coastal management related work including data and information collection from various sites. Members of the CMAC, when doing field visits, collect GIS, environment and climate change related data and information, but at different levels and these data and information are kept by the respective members of the Council and not shared since there is no data and information sharing mechanism in place.

• The Institute of Higher Learning was provided with a preparation grant to start experimenting and generate ideas on the use of GIS. New GIS modules were introduced to train GIS users and students that are particularly interested to study GIS. The fund was sufficient to purchase GIS software and hardware and GIS users and students started producing shoreline maps for the islands and also draw from satellite images which are then stored.

• While the GIS user Group and CMAC are involved in a few areas of environment and climate change-related research and GIS work, the group still lack the resources and the capacity needed to carry out the following functions which the group identified as priority areas for RMI:  Software and hardware application

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 Elevation modelling (aerial)  Tree classification/ forest inventory/vegetation cover  Wave modelling  Bathymetric research

The project will support and build on the work that has been carried out by the GIS User Group as well as the CMAC. The project will contribute to the strengthening of these two institutions as well build the capacity of its members. Partnership will be fostered with other national-level organizations such as the Institute of Higher Learning, to absorb ideas generated from the GIS work carried out by the centre. Partnership will also be fostered with the Economic Policy, Planning and Statistics Office (EPPSO), Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) and other relevant partners that have done work on GIS for their respective sectors.

To enable planners, resource managers, policy makers and decision makers to understand RMI’s vulnerable ecosystems and climate change impacts in order to make well informed decisions on future climate change responses for resilency and to achieve its adaptation priorities and sustainable development aspirations as outlined in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDP) and NSP, it is important that climate vulnerability and climate impacts are well understood and that the barriers, limitations and constraints pertaining to access to climate vulnerability and climate impacts data and information are addressed.

Objective:The overall objective of the project is to enhance access to climate vulnerability and climate impacts data and information by using applied research and GIS for an inclusive, integrated and whole of island approach to climate resilient and integrated coastal management planning and decision making.

SPREP, as an accredited entity to the GCF and with its past and on-going initiatives on applied research, GIS and climate science and services, places the organisation in a strategic position to work with RMI’s Office of Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination (OEPPC) to implement the project. Specifically, the project will build-on a few exisiting SPREP initiatives in RMI including the: • GEF-funded Building National and Regional Capacity to Implement Multilateral Environmental Agreements by Strengthening Planning and the State of Environmental Assessment and Reporting in the Pacific (Inform) project under the Envronment Management and Governance (EMG) Programme – one of the key outputs of the Inform project in RMI is the collation of environment data and information and storing these data and information in a portal that will be set-up by the Inform project. Building on this work, the proposed project will utilize the same portal to store and disseminate climate change vulnerability and impacts data and information.

• German Ministry of Environment – funded Science Based Implementation of 1.5 OC Compatible Climate Actrion for LDC and SIDS (IMPACT) project under the Climate Change Resilience Programme – while the focus of the IMPACT project is on enhancing regional level capacities to formulate science-based implementation strategies, to access financial resources and for representation of their interests in international negotiations, the project will target national and local level capacity building on the collection and management of climate vulbnerability and climate impacts information that will contribute to natonal level policy narratives as well as decision making and planning.

• RMI CGF Readiness Project – Even though the focus of the readiness project is on broad stakeholder engagement as input to the development of a GCF Country Programme, the resources will also be used to support development of internal climate project review and monitoring mechanisms, and to build a climate change knowledge management and database web-platform. While these systems and processes are being set-up by the RMI NDA office, the Office of Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination, it is envisaged that work that will be carried out by the proposed project will feed into and contribute to informing this national level process.

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The other on-going projects in RMI that this project will compliment include: • the GCF-funded, Pacific Resilience Project Phase II (PREP II) for the Republic of the Marshall Island - Enhancing the resilience of people in the Republic of the Marshall Islands to long-term climate change through coastal protection to protect lives and property from inundation. While the PREP II project is focused on enhancing the resilience of coastal infrastructure in the densely populated areas of the capital Majuro and the island of Ebeye, the complimentarity between the two projects is on the strengthening of institutions and improving access to information. In fact, climate vulnerability and impacts data and information from the proposed project can feed into coastal protection planning.

• RMI GEF-funded, Ridge to Reef Project titled, Reimaanlok - Looking to the Future: Strengthening Natural Resource Management in Atoll Communities in the Republic of Marshall Islands Employing Integrated Approaches. The project objective is to sustain biodiversity and livelihoods by building community and ecosystem resilience to threats and degrading influences through integrated management of terrestrial and coastal resources in priority atolls/islands. Climate change vulnerability and impacts data and information from the project will contribute to identifying sustainable adaptation solutions for the integrated management of terrestrial and coastal resources in priority atolls/islands

(refer to section B.3 on Capacity of accredited entities or executing entities to deliver).

B. Project details (max. 3 pages) B.1. Context and Baseline (max. 1 page)

i. Background

RMI is a Small Island Developing State in the North Pacific and home to nearly 60,000 people.The country comprises 34 major islands and atolls, and covers a total land area of approximately 181 square kilometers (km2 ). With an average elevation of 2 metres, RMI is uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This vulnerability designation is in large part due to the fact that its small land area means that over 99% of the population lives along the coastline, rendering a considerable portion of the country’s economy, infrastructure, and livelihoods vulnerable. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 5th Assessment Report, the effects of rising sea levels are “likely to be of a magnitude that will disrupt virtually all economic and social sectors in small island nations”. In addition to these vulnerabilities, excessive dependence on foreign aid and remoteness make the country particularly vulnerable to climate variability and change.

Figure 1: Map of the Republic of Marshall Islands

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ii. Climate baseline3 The climate baseline summary for RMI is as follows:

Current Climate Across the Marshall Islands, the average temperature is relatively constant year round. Changes in the temperature from season to season are relatively small around 1oC and strongly tied to changes in the surrounding ocean temperature. Both Majuro and Kwajalein have a dry season from around December to April and a wet season from May to November, however rainfall varies greatly from north to south. The atolls to the north receive less than 50 inches (1250 mm) of rain each year and are very dry in the dry season, while atolls closer to the equator receive more than 100 inches (2500 mm) of rain each year.

The Intertropical Convergence Zone brings rainfall to the Marshall Islands throughout the year. This band of heavy rainfall is caused by air rising over warm water where winds converge, resulting in thunderstorm activity. It extends across the Pacific just north of the equator (Figure 2) and is most intense and closer to the Marshall Islands during the wet season. Rainfall is also sometimes influenced by the West Pacific Monsoon, which brings wetter conditions when it is active over the Marshall Islands.

The climate of the Marshall Islands varies considerably from year to year due to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. This is a natural climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean and affects weather around the world. There are two extreme phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation: El Niño and La Niña. There is also a neutral phase. Conditions during La Niña years are generally wetter than normal. El Niño events tend to bring warmer than normal wet seasons and warmer, drier dry seasons.

Typhoons, droughts and storm waves are the main extreme events that impact the Marshall Islands. Typhoons affect the Marshall Islands late in the typhoon season, between September and November. They are usually weak when they pass through the region, but are more intense in El Niño years. During an El Niño event the sea surface temperatures increase in and to the east of the Marshall Islands. This allows more intense typhoons to form.

3 Pacific Climate Change Science Program: Current and future climate of the Marshall Islands

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Droughts generally occur in the first four to six months of the year following an El Niño. Following severe El Niño events, rainfall can be reduced by as much as 80%. The dry season begins earlier and ends much later than normal during an El Niño.

Changing Climate

Temperatures have increased Annual maximum and minimum temperatures have increased in both Majuro and Kwajalein since 1956 and 1960 respectively. In Majuro, maximum temperatures have increased at a rate of 0.22ºF (0.12°C) per decade and at Kwajalein the rate of increase has been 0.36ºF (0.20°C) per decade. These temperature increases are consistent with the global pattern of warming.

Annual Rainfall has decreased Rainfall data since 1950 for Kwajalein shows a decreasing trend in annual and seasonal rainfall. At Majuro, since 1950, there has also been a decreasing trend in annual and dry season rainfall but no trend in wet season rainfall. Over this period, there has been substantial variation in rainfall from year to year at both sites.

Sea level has risen As ocean water warms it expands causing the sea level to rise. The melting of glaciers and ice sheets also contributes to sea-level rise. Instruments mounted on satellites and tide gauges are used to measure sea level. Satellite data indicate the sea level has risen near the Marshall Islands by about 0.3 inches (7 mm) per year since 1993. This is larger than the global average of 0.11-0.14 inches (2.8–3.6 mm) per year. This higher rate of rise may be partly related to natural fluctuations that take place year to year or decade to decade caused by phenomena such as the El NiñoSouthern Oscillation.

Ocean acidification has been increasing About one quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted from human activities each year is absorbed by the oceans. As the extra carbon dioxide reacts with sea water it causes the ocean to become slightly more acidic. This impacts the growth of corals and organisms that construct their skeletons from carbonate minerals. These species are critical to the balance of tropical reef ecosystems. Data show that since the 18th century the level of ocean acidification has been slowly increasing in Marshall Islands’ waters.

The major climate-related natural hazards impacting the Marshall Islands4 are sea level rise, droughts, and tropical storms and typhoons. These are discussed in detail below:

• Sea level rise – Shoreline erosion caused by sea level rise is already a significant problem across the Marshall Islands. According to a study conducted in 1992 of Majuro atoll by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States (NOAA), a three foot rise in sea levels would completely inundate the atoll, and defense mechanisms to protect the atoll from a one-in-fifty year storm event would be impossible. It is recommended that a “full retreat of the entire population of the Majuro atoll and the Marshall Islands must be considered in planning for worst-case sea level rise scenarios5”

• Droughts – Wet season rainfall supplies the majority of freshwater to the RMI. However, EL Niño conditions in this part of the Pacific can shift rainfall patterns, bringing significantly less rainfall than in normal years and leading to drought conditions. Droughts are especially damaging in the atolls lacking sufficient rain-water harvesting/storage capacity to withstand dry periods, as is the case with most of the outer atolls of the dry North (Utrik, Ailuk, Likiep, Wotho, Lae, and Namu). The El Niño event of 1997/98 was one of the most pronounced drought periods in RMI, bringing only 8% of normal rainfall in a four month period and leading the government to declare the entire archipelago a disaster area, and severely impacting Laura atoll’s fresh-water lens. More frequent El Niño events could increase the intensity and occurrence of these drought events, with important implications for disaster management and response in the RMI6

4 GFDRR, the World Bank and SOPAC. Reducing the risk of disasters and climate variability in the Pacific Islands. 5 Holthus, et. al, 1992. Vulnerability assessment of accelerated sea-level rise: a case study of Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands, Western Samoa. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme. 6 USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5098. Effects of the 1998 Drought on the Freshwater Lens in the Laura Area, Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands

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• Tropical storms and typhoons – Strong winds, wave run-up, and overtopping of beach berms and protective structures are significant sources of flooding and damage across RMI7 . Such was the case in 2008, when one of the worst recorded disasters in the nation’s history took place. A combination of factors, including three major storms in two weeks and high tides, together flooded (via storm surges) a large part of the Majuro atoll, damaging more than 300 homes and forcing 10% of the population to temporary shelters. The most recent devastating typhoon was typhoon Nangka where on Majuro atoll, Nangka produced strong westerly winds near gale force, producing high waves and flooding along the lagoon. At least 25 vessels in the island's lagoon broke loose from or were dragged by their moorings. High winds from Nangka tore roofs from homes and downed trees and power lines. Nearly half of the nation's capital, Majuro, was left without power. Some coastal flooding was also notedwhich resulted in crop damage.

Future Climate: Global climate models are the best tools for understanding future climate change.The climate projections for RMI are based on three IPCC emissions scenarios: low (B1), medium (A1B) and high (A2), for time periods around 2030, 2055 and 2090. Listed below is a summary of climate projections for RMI: • Temperatures will continue to increase - projections for all emissions scenarios indicate that the annual average air temperature and sea surface temperature will increase in the future in the Marshall Islands (Table 1). By 2030, under a high emissions scenario, this increase in temperature is projected to be in the range of 0.8–1.8ºF (0.4– 1.0°C) • More very hot days - increases in average temperatures will also result in a rise in the number of hot days and warm nights, and a decline in cooler weather. • More extreme rainfall days - model projections show extreme rainfall days are likely to occur more often. • Sea level will continue to rise - sea level is expected to continue to rise in RMI. The sea-level rise combined with natural year-to-year changes will increase the impact of storm surges and coastal flooding. • Ocean acidification will continue - Under all three emissions scenarios (low, medium and high) the acidity level of sea waters in the Marshall Islands region will continue to increase over the 21st century. The impact of increased acidification on the health of reef ecosystems is likely to be compounded by other stressors including coral bleaching, storm damage and fishing pressure.

Given the above climate change impacts as well as climate change projections, it is apparent that updated applied research on climate change impacts and access to GIS data, not only on the inhabited islands but also on the other uninhabited outer islands of RMI are important in order to obtain real time and accurate data and information on climate change impacts on natural ecosystems. These will establish baselines and used to inform decision making and planning.

iii. Current barriers:

RMI, like all small island states, faces a unique set of challenges in dealing with climate variability and change. While a number of adaptation activities are ongoing, the country’s official communications to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other national reports and frameworks point to significant research, data, and information gaps that will need to be addressed in light of changing and projected climate. In fact, the following have been identified as research and data and information gaps that need to be addressed:

Lack of coordination, capacity and ineffective institutional set-up to collect and manage climate-related data and information. • Insufficient resources, lack of institutional capacity and awareness on climate data and information are among the challenges the country faces in addressing climate change. Additionally, lack of specific information and data on current and future vulnerability, impacts and risks across the country hamper the country’s ability to plan for and respond to these risks.

• Available information are generated through technical assistance programmes and projects which have not been consolidated in part because of lack of a designated coordination mechanism but in part as they have been ad- hoc.

7 SPREP 1992. Vulnerability Assessment of Accelerated Sea Level Rise: Case Study: Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands.

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Lack of climate vulnerability and climate impacts data and information and no centralised data system to access climate vulnerability and impacts data and information to be used for planning and decision making. • Detailed assessments of climate change impacts and risks across a variety of sectors are required in order to develop sound response strategies, in particular focusing on food security, water resources, and coastal resources. • Cost of conducting climate change related applied research in the outer islands are expensive, time-consuming, inefficient • Adequate geo-spatial information is also lacking at the relevant agencies. To date, there is no online or offline repository such as an operational portal on adaptation that allows for consolidation of all relevant information in one place, so that the user community can have easy access to climate information, services and knowledge. It is critical that such information and knowledge is packaged in a user-friendly format, and is made available to all users from government to community level, in a language that can be understood. And, to be effective, such an approach will require enhanced capacities at the Ministries and relevant line agencies. • Analysis of impacts, adaptive capacity of communities and institutions for each major vulnerability have not been done due to technical capacity gaps, and lack of a structured process and prioritisation of resources for undertaking longer term assessments. Most of the current information is for immediate and short-term adaptation planning. Longer term scenarios need to be analysed with respect to impacts on climate sensitive sectors and vulnerability mapped out. • Little work has been done to downscale climate models to individual islands. Realistically, it may not be possible to derive more accurate climate change information due to the small size of these islands, however, more work needs to be done to address the lack of local scale data sets. New information should be credible and useful to decision making at the island scale. • Overall applied research assistance is required to properly establish an island-specific and robust baseline from which to gauge projected changes and impacts. • Addressing sea level and storm surge risks will require the use and interpretation of the information that is coming from various sources. • The use of existing meteorological information is limited to specific agencies, and this information needs to be tailored to decision makers across a wider series of sectors, including water resources management. • The country’s National Communication points to the need to develop appropriate information management systems to collate and monitor available information

The application or use of climate –related data and information to inform decision making and planning at sector level • Detailed assessments of climate change impacts and risks for integrated coastal management are required in order to develop sound response strategies, in particular focusing on food security, water resources, and infrastructure. • Information for medium term adaptation planning not fully assessed or available. Medium and long-term adaptation needs are difficult to gauge at national, sectoral and cross-sectoral planning levels without relevant information on climate impacts, vulnerability and adaptive capacity in a medium to long term perspective.

Lack of awareness and knowledge management on the application of GIS and applied research to inform planning and decision planning. • The lack of awareness on GIS and its use to inform planning and decision making.

iv. Theory of Change Using applied research and GIS, the project will contribute to decision makers, policy makers, project developers and resource owners, having easy access to vulnerability and climate change impacts data and information to be able to make informed decisions on resilient development at national and locallevel. At the moment, vulnerability and climate change impacts data and information are dispersed and if they exist, they are outdated and available only for some sectors. The project will set up a coordinated and centralised research and GIS system and process to bring together vulnerability and climate change impacts data and information. To manage this system and process, capacity building and training will be carried out at national and local level. Decision making and planning tools will be designed drawing from the data and information that are available in the data repository system.

The project will address the barriers and gaps that are highlighted in (iii) above through the following project components:

Component 1:Strengthen national and local level governance, institutions and capacity for improved coordination.

This component involves conducting climate vulnerability and climate impacts data and information SWOT analysis to ascertain the amount and level of data and information available. It will include the review of national and local level governance mechanisms, institution set-up and capacity needs for applied research, management of GIS and climate

Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1 GREEN CLIMATE FUND | PAGE 10 OF 5 vulnerability and impacts data and information. The project activites will also include setting up a coordination system, review and development of data policy and data protocols and building national and local level capacity including through south-south exchange.

Component 2: Conduct data gathering for GIS enhanced vulnerability and climate impacts assessment and establish a data repository system to access the data and information for planning and decision making.

This component will use applied research and GIS to identify vulnerable areas and to assess the impacts of climate change especially on the outer islands/ atolls/ communities of RMI. The component will set-up system and process to access data and information to be used for decision making and planning.

Component 3: Integrated coastal management, including planning and decision making using climate vulnerability and climate impacts information and data from research and GIS.

This component will use research and GIS data and information to support an integrated approach to climate resilient planning for coastal ecosystem. This component can be piloted on 5 atolls/islands in RMI.

Component 4: Raise awareness, knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

This component will include raising awareness on the use of applied research and GIS to gather vulnerability and climate impacts for decision making and planning. It will develop a range of knowledge products to promote the approach for upscaling. The components will establish an effective management, coordination and reporting support system to ensure key outcomes and results of the project are successfully achieved.

Component 5: Project Delivery and Project Governance.

Delivery of the project will require a highly coordinated approach and could include: • A technical support person based at the Environment Monitoring and Governance Division at SPREP (e.g GIS specialist) • Funded local staff including project and technical staff to help coordinate ongoing project specific tasks, including the engagement of local activity based consultants. • Relevant operational costs to be included.

Inclusive participation and gender consideration are key principles of the project and will be woven into the design of the project. The project will tap into RMI’s rich experience of community based adaptation initiatives as well as draw upon a broad range of community based organisations and RMI’s experts to bring in lessons learnt that will inform the project.

3.2 Alignment to national priorities

The project aligns to RMI’s Strategic Development Plan Framework 2003 – 2018 as well as the National Strategic Plan 2015–2017. Specifically, the project will constribute to the realization of the objectives of these national frameworks to achieve the goal of environment sustainability.

The RMI National Climate Change Policy Framework (NCCPF) sets out the Government of RMI’s commitments and responsibilities to address climate change through an “All Islands Approach” to foster an environment in which the RMI can be better prepared to manage the current and future impacts of climate change while ensuring sustainable development, and provide a blueprint for building resilience in partnership with regional and global partners. The project will contribute to the goals of RMI’s NCCPF.

In addition to the NCCPF, RMI has also developed an innovative Joint National Action Plan (JNAP) for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management which sets out actions to adapt against the effects of natural disasters and climate change. The JNAP is an important and integral supportive element towards the achievement of RMI’s sustainable national development imperatives. The project will contribute to the realization of the JNAP goals.

The project is also aligned to the RMI Nationally Determined Contribution, National Environment Management Strategy 2017-2022 and the Coastal Management Plan (2008).

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B.2. Project / Programme description (max. 1 page)

The project will be based on the following components:

Component 1: Strengthen national and local level governance, institutions and capacity for improved data and information management and coordination. This component will review national and local level governance mechanisms, institutional set-up and capacity needs to conduct research and manage climate vulnerability and impacts data and information for climate resilient planning and decision making. This will include setting up a data and information coordination system, data policy and protocol development, capacity building through training and south-south exchange of relevant personnels that will manage climate data and information systems and process.

Expected outcome: Enhanced enabling environment and capacity to collect and manage climate and geospatial data and information management to support climate resilient planning and decision making at local and national level.

Expected results will include: i. Gap analysis of existing systems and processes of collecting and managing climate and geospatial data and information; ii. Ascertain amount and level of climate information and data available (include water and marine surveys) iii. Develop GIS data and information framework, policy, guideline, protocol and management plan; iv. Set-up a national level climate and geospatial data and information coordination system or strengthen existing ones such as the GIS User Group; v. Establish partnerships and collaborations with the GIS User Group, College of Marshall Islands, Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority and other key national, regional and international institutions; vi. Develop data gathering protocol vii. Develop data sharing protocol viii. Capacity building and technical training including south-south exchange of technical officers on the application of GIS technologies, systems and tools; ix. Capacity building of relevant technical officers to collect, analyse/interpret, utilize and disseminate spatial data and information is strengthened; x. Capacity building and training programme for technicians in key government agencies including those from relevant civil society organisations are strengthened on methodologies for data collection, analysis, monitoring and reporting; and xi. Capacity building of decision makers and senior officials on the decision making and planning tool

Expected outcome Improved access to climate vulnerability and climate impacts data and information to support climate resilient planning and decision making.

Expected results will include: i. Set-up national climate and GIS data and information database that will support effective information and data management including timely analysis of research and GIS data and information; ii. Provision for GIS and applied research software and hardware iii. Climate vulnerability and impacts baseline data and information from the selected islands and atolls collected iv. Mechanism and process for data and information sharing, learning and knowledge management at national and local levels are established or strengthened; v. Resource managers, planners and decision makers have access to a suite of spatial data and information; and vi. Develop a sustainable integrated climate science and GIS data and information decision making and planning tool;

Component 3: Integrated coastal management, including planning and decision making using climate vulnerability and climate impacts information and data from research and GIS.

This component will draw on research and GIS data and information from the data repository system in Component 2 and use established systems and processes on data and information management to inform decision making and planning.

Expected outcome: Improved integrated coastal management planning through the use of research and GIS data and information.

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Expected results will include: i. Assessment of the impacts of coastal hazards using GIS and field-work research; ii. Coastal risk assessment and selection priority areas for intervention; iii. Priorities for a climate resilient and integrated coastal management are informed by new, updated and harmonised policy and legal frameworks and having easy access to climate and geospatial data and information; iv. Conceptual design of adaptation options and cost-estimated; and v. Local and national stakeholders including resource managers/owners, planners and decision makers are well informed and actively participate in climate resilient and integrated coastal management planning and decision making processes;

Component 4: Raise awareness, knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

Expected results: i. Identify what data and information is needed by decision makers (at all levels – e.g national, community etc) to make decisions – depending on the type of data and information needed, refer to the relevant focal points ii. Raise awareness on the setting up of a climate data and information repository system (portal), its management and how the data and information can be used as a decision making and planning tool; iii. Raise awareness on GIS and GIS career opportunities iv. Raise awareness on the climate data and GIS decision making and planning tools; v. Lessons learned and best practices from the project are generated, captured and distributed to other communities, civil society, and policy-makers in government appropriate mechanisms; vi. Regional Advocacy and replication of the project; vii. National and local level monitoring by National Designated Authority; viii. Delivery partners including national level executing partners are identified with clearly defined roles and responsibilities agreed to; and ix. Monitoring and evaluation processes established and results based reporting tools and processes established;

Component 5: Project Delivery and Project Governance. The delivery of the project will require a highly coordinated approach.

Expected outcome: Effective and efficient management and delivery of project results.

Expected results: i. A technical support team based at the Environment Monitoring and Governance Division at SPREP (e.g GIS specialist); ii. Funded local project management and coordination staff to help coordinate ongoing project specific tasks, including the engagement of experts on a consultancy basis. iii. Relevant operational costs to be included; and iv. Project results are delivered in a timely and cost effective manner in line with the agreed workplan and budget;

The project will provide transformational change to RMI through the development of nation-wide, local-scale spatial data that has long been lacking in country, and thus constrained effective use of GIS-supported research. It will also provide systems that address the specific logistical challenges of collecting data in scattered atolls and islands locations. In this way the project will support an enabling environment for integrated and proactive approaches to climate resilient planning and evidence based decision making processes, specifically by introducing enhanced planning and decision making capacity and tools including in climate impact and vulnerability assessments as well as integrated adaptation planning for enhanced resiliency at the community and national levels.

In addition to addressing long-standing local data gaps relevant to enhancing climate resiliency, the project will link to and integrate climate data and related information management systems already available in RMI and through external sources. Specifically, it will develop and implement innovative and sophisticated GIS and spatial planning tools and technologies which includes web based tools that will enable vulnerable communities, resource owners, policy and decision makers to monitor and track trends over time, visualise and compare different scenarios through a more coordinated and integrated planning and decision making process. Geospatial data and tools would also support and guide an inclusive and multi-sectoral prioritisation process on climate change adaptation and related policies, strategies and actions.

The proposed project will build on the environment data portal and reporting tool that is being developed through the regional GEF funded project executed by SPREP which aims at building national and regional capacity to implement

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Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) by strengthening planning and state of environment reports in the Pacific (referred to as the Inform Project). This makes SPREP a strategic Accredited Entity for the project. SPREP also has an Environmental Monitoring and Governance (EMG) Programme that will support the project. The EMG Programme aims to ensure that country members "will have the capacity to develop and implement transparent and robust frameworks and processes for improved environmental governance, planning, monitoring and reporting". It emphasises effective strategies for mainstreaming environmental considerations into local, national and regional development planning processes which support informed and sound decision making. EMG also promotes and supports regular environmental monitoring, data collection and analysis and periodic integrated state of the environment reporting at the national and regional levels.

B.3. Expected project results aligned with the GCF investment criteria (max. 1 page) The project will have the following impacts:

Impact Potential The project will benefit the entire population especially in accessing climate science and projections and geospatial data and information and using the information for The direct beneficiaries are decision makers, planners, personnels working on Climate Change Adaptation relevant programming in coastal zones, water resources, agriculture and food security, and urban habitation (the “priority sectors”) will be the beneficiaries of this project.

Paradigm Shift The project is innovative largely because of two reasons: 1) it will develop new data gathering and analysis systems based on new technologies and equipment that will address longstanding challenges of data scarcity in the RMI, and 2) it will forever change the way key government institutions manage and use geospatial information to monitor past and current environmental changes to inform future planning for a sustainable RMI, environment and people.

Piloting the project will take a phased-approach where phase 1 will include the setting up or strengthening of existing natonal systems to coordinate, implement, manage, monitor and report on the initiative and the project. New technology and partnership can be piloted in a few isalnds/ atolls and the phases that will follow will scale up the project in other atoll islands. The project will have a centralised national database that will store, manage and disseminate gepspatial data and information.

A few countries in the Pacific region have set up systems and are using geospatial data and information to carry out vulnerability and adaptation assessments. SPREP utilises its in-house expertise to assist member countries with GIS on specific sectors. The project will provide an opportunity for south-south exchange, peer learning and the use of local/regional expertise to ensure the sustainability of the project at all levels.

The outcomes of the project will contribute to informing policy narratives and directions to achieve not only RMI’s adaptation goals in its NDC and in other national frameworks but also the achievement of its national sustainbale development goals.

Sustainable Development • Economic co-benefits The project is a proactive approach to minimise mal-adaptation that often adds pressure on national budget. It will benefit decision makers as well as project and program planners among others, to plan for targeted and sustainable interventions.

• Social co-benefits The information and data from the project can be used by government and all sectors to inform national and sectoral policies and plans as well as interventions to make informed planning in order to: - Improve access to information - Reduce poverty - Improved access to education - Improved regulation or cultural preservation - Improved health and safety

• Environmental co-benefits - Improved biodiversity and ecosystem services

• Gender-sensitive development impact

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- Men, women, youth, people with disability and marginalized members of the community will use information and data for effective planning.

Needs of Recipients

RMI is a Small Island Developing State in the North Pacific and home to nearly 70,000 people.The country comprises 34 major slands and atolls, and covers a total land area of approximately 181 square kilometers (km2 ) with an average elevation of 2 metres, RMI is uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This vulnerability designation is in large part due to the fact that its small land area means that over 99% of the population lives along the coastline, rendering a considerable portion of the country’s economy, infrastructure, and livelihoods vulnerable.

Detailed assessments of climate change impacts and risks across a variety of sectors are required in order to develop sound response strategies, in particular focusing on food security, water resources, and coastal resources.

Information for medium term adaptation planning not fully assessed or available. Medium and long-term adaptation needs are difficult to gauge at national, sectoral and cross-sectoral planning levels without relevant information on climate impacts, vulnerability and adaptive capacity in a medium to long term perspective. Available information has been often generated through technical assistance programmes and projects which have not been consolidated in part because of lack of a designated coordination mechanism but in part as they have been ad-hoc. Adequate Geo-spatial information is also lacking at the relevant agencies. To date, there is no online or offline repository such as an operational portal on adaptation that allows for consolidation of all relevant information in one place, so that the user community can have easy access to climate information, services and knowledge. It is critical that such information and knowledge is packaged in a user-friendly format, and is made available to all users from government to community level, in a language that can be understood. And, to be effective, such an approach will require enhanced capacities at the Ministries and relevant line agencies. Analysis of impacts, adaptive capacity of communities and institutions for each major vulnerability have not been done due to technical capacity gaps, and lack of a structured process and prioritisation of resources for undertaking longer term assessments. Most of the current information is for immediate and short-term adaptation planning. Longer term scenarios need to be analysed with respect to impacts on climate sensitive sectors and vulnerability mapped out.

The project will establish research and GIS planning and decision making tools and systems and strengthen existing capacities on data management, access to information, and to develop policy frameworks that will include planning, monitoring and reporting through targeted interventions that will be delivered and implemented under the project.

Country Ownership

Alignment to national priorities

Capacity of accredited entities or executing entities to deliver

SPREP has an Environmental Monitoring and Governance (EMG) Programme that will coordinate and support the project from design to implementation and monitoring and evaluation at he project level. EMG aims to ensure that country members "will have the capacity to develop and implement transparent and robust frameworks and processes for improved environmental governance, planning, monitoring and reporting". It emphasises effective strategies for mainstreaming environmental considerations into local, national and regional development planning processes, such as regular environmental monitoring, data collection and analysis and periodic integrated state of the environment reporting at the national and regional levels. The project fits very well under the mandate of the EMG programme who will provide an overall oversight for the project. SPREP’s Project Coordination Unit (PCU) wil also provide support to the EMG and

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Project Mangement Unit. SPREP’s PCU will ensure that financial and project activities reporting are in-line with the GCF requirements.

SPREP is supporting RMI in the implementation of some of its climate change-related projects so at the national level, SPREP has a good reputation of engaging, coordinating and managing projects that have impacts at all levels. Some of the SPREP-RMI on-going initiatives include:

• GEF-funded Building National and Regional Capacity to Implement Multilateral Environmental Agreements by Strengthening Planning and the State of Environmental Assessment and Reporting in the Pacific (Inform) project under the Envronment Management and Governance (EMG) Programme – one of the key outputs of the Inform project in RMI is the collation of environment data and information and storing these data and information in a portal that will be set-up by the Inform project. Building on this work, the proposed project will utilize the same portal to store and disseminate climate change vulnerability and impacts data and information.

Stakeholder engagement process and feedback received from civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders:

Multi-consultations with the NDA, NDA office, relevant government line ministries and departments, relevant civil society organizations and national and regional regional entities working in the area of GIS on priorities for action for RMI. Refer to section B.4.

Efficiency and Effectiveness It is expected that in order to achieve the objective of the project, there will ne co-financing from the Government of RMI as well as in-kind contribution it terms of technical assistance and support from SPREP.

B.4 Stakeholders engagement in the project or programme (max ½ page)

Engagement to date includes: • Multi-consultations with relevant government ministries and departments and regional entities working in the area of GIS on priority actions for RMI. • The initial draft of the concept note was shared widely with all RMI national level stakeholders. The first consultation hosted by SPREP and the NDA with the GIS User Group and the CMAC was held on Monday, 06 August at the Marshall Islands Resort. The second national level consultation was held on Thursday 09 August with all the relevant stakeholders. This included the following:  GIS User Group  CMAC  College of the Marshall Islands  Environment Protection Authority  Economic Policy, Planning, and Statistics Office  Marshall Islands Conservation Society  Marshall Islands Marine Resurces Authority (MIMRA)  Ministry of Natural Resources and Development  Office of Environmental Protection and Policy Coordination  Women United Together Marshall Islands  Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme  National Disaster Management Office

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 University of the South Pacific  International Organization for Migration  TNC  NRC

Formal and informal multi-discussions with the NDA and they have all given their support for the project; and Concept note for the project shared within SPREP and a wide of national stakeholders including government ministries and departments, civil society organisations, private sector, academias and research institutions. B.5 Monitoring and Evaluation and reporting plans (max ¼ page)

SPREP as the proposed AE will coordinate, through the SPREP Project Coordination Unit the standard monitoring, reporting and evaluation processes that apply including: Annual Performance Report; Semi-annual reporting; mid-term and final term evaluation. This will be complimented by a special project reporting mechanism that will see the project management unit report on project progress and impacts and benefits as it relates to climate and geospatial data and information priorities for RMI. C. Indicative financing / Cost information (max. 2 pages) C.1. Financing by components (max ½ page) Please provide an estimate of the total cost per component and disaggregate by source of financing. Component Indicative cost GCF financing Co-financing (USD) Amount Financial Amount Financial Name of (USD) Instrument (USD) Instrument Institutions 1 2.0 million 1.8 0.2 million 2 4.2 million 3.3 0.9 million 3 3.8 million 3.1 0.7 million 4 1.0 million 0.9 0.1 million 5 1.0 million 0.9 0.1 million Indicative total cost 12 million 10 million 2.0 million (USD) (TARGET)

C.2. Justification of GCF involvement (max 1/2 page) RMI lacks national budgets to support climate and geospatial data and information work in the way needed to provide the services that can support resilient development in multiple ways. Collaboration and support is a critical pillar to progress this work in RMI. Further, the RMI has very limited private sector capacity. The economy is characterised by micro-sized enterprises, and the commercial market for climate and geospatial information is extremely limited.

The project outcomes align closely with the results framework of the GCF, and GCF investment in this project would represent a significant investment in the future of and the role climate and geospatial information and data play in d elivering critical services.

C.3. Sustainability and replicability of the project (exit strategy) (max. 1/2 page) The project has a focus on investment in institutional capacity and building capacity which once established can be sustained without significant ongoing investment. It is hoped that the project will lead to the enhanced (quality, value etc.) of the relevant insitutions that collect and manage climate data and information, and that this will become the new baseline. Similarly the project aims to support the mainstreaming of climate and geaospatial data and information into sector and community planning and development (through a range of regulatory, awareness and knowledge based strategies), and again this is hoped to become the new baseline, without the need for ongoing investment.

As this project is working to implement climate change priorities especially in having easy access to climate vulanerability and impacts information, this indicates that this project will serve to lay the foundation for future projects and programmes to be implemented by RMI.

D. Annexes

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☒ Environmental and Social Safeguards screening check list (Annex 1) ☒ Map indicating the location of the project/programme (as applicable) ☒ Evaluation Report of previous project (as applicable)

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Annex 1: Environmental and Social Screening Checklist

Part A: Risk Factors The questions describe the “risk factors” of activities that would require additional assessments and information. Any “Yes” response to the questions will render the proposal not eligible for the Simplified Approval Process Pilot Scheme. Proposals with any of the risk factors may be considered under the regular project approvals process instead. Exclusion criteria YES NO Will the activities involve associated facilities and require further ☐ ☒ due diligence of such associated facilities? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the activities involve trans-boundary impacts including those ☐ ☒ that would require further due diligence and notification to affected states? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the activities adversely affect working conditions and health ☐ ☒ and safety of workers or potentially employ vulnerable categories of workers including women and children? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the activities potentially generate hazardous waste and ☐ ☒ pollutants including pesticides and contaminate lands that would require further studies on management, minimization and control and compliance to the country and applicable international environmental quality standards? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the activities involve the construction, maintenance, and ☐ ☒ rehabilitation of critical infrastructure (like dams, water impoundments, coastal and river bank infrastructure) that would require further technical assessment and safety studies? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the proposed activities potentially involve resettlement and ☐ ☒ dispossession, land acquisition, and economic displacement of persons and communities? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the activities be located in protected areas and areas of ☐ ☒ ecological significance including critical habitats, key biodiversity areas and internationally recognized conservation sites? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the activities affect indigenous peoples that would require ☐ ☒ further due diligence, free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and development of inclusion and development plans? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the activities be located in areas that are considered to have ☐ ☒ archaeological (prehistoric), paleontological, historical, cultural, artistic, and religious values or contains features considered as critical cultural heritage? Remarks/additional information, if any:

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Part B: Specific environmental and social risks and impacts Assessment and Management of Environmental YES NO TBD and Social Risks and Impacts Has the AE provided the E&S risk category of the ☒ ☐ ☐ project in the concept note? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Has the AE provided the rationale for the ☒ ☐ ☐ categorization of the project in the relevant sections Remarks/additional information, if any: of the concept note or funding proposal? Arethere any additional requirements for due ☐ ☐ ☒ diligence and management plans by the country Remarks/additional information, if any: (e.g., EIAs, EMPs, etc)? Are the identification and assessment of risks and ☒ ☐ ☐ impacts based on recent or up-to-date information? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Labour and Working Conditions YES NO TBD Will the proposed activities expected to have impacts ☐ ☒ ☐ on the working conditions, particularly the terms of Remarks/additional information, if any: employment, worker’s organization, non- discrimination, equal opportunity, child labour, and forced labour of direct, contracted and third-party workers? Will the proposed activities pose occupational health ☐ ☒ ☐ and safety risks to workers including supply chain Remarks/additional information, if any: workers? Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention YES NO TBD Will the activities expected to generate (1) emissions ☐ ☒ ☐ to air; (2) discharges to water; (3) activity-related Remarks/additional information, if any: greenhouse gas (GHG) emission; and (5) waste? Will the activities expected to utilize natural resources ☐ ☒ ☐ including water and energy? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will there be a need to develop detailed measures to ☐ ☒ ☐ reduce pollution and promote sustainable use of Remarks/additional information, if any: resources? Community Health, Safety, and Security YES NO TBD Will the activities potentially generate risks and ☐ ☒ ☐ impacts to the health and safety of the affected Remarks/additional information, if any: communities? Will there a need for an emergency preparedness ☐ ☒ ☐ and response plan that also outlines how the affected Remarks/additional information, if any: communities will be assisted in times of emergency? Will there be risks posed by the security ☐ ☒ ☐ arrangements and potential conflicts at the project Remarks/additional information, if any: site to the workers and affected community? Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement YES NO TBD Will the activities likely require further due diligence ☐ ☒ ☐ and consultation to ascertain consistency with the Remarks/additional information, if any: ESS standard requirements ? Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable YES NO TBD Management of Living Natural Resources Will the activities likely introduce invasive alien ☐ ☒ ☐ species affecting the biodiversity of the area? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will the activities have potential impacts on or ☐ ☒ ☐ dependent on ecosystem services? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Indigenous Peoples YES NO TBD Will the activities likely to have impacts on indigenous ☐ ☒ ☐ peoples and communities? Remarks/additional information, if any:

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Will continuing stakeholder engagement process and ☒ ☐ ☐ grievance redress mechanism be integrated into the Remarks/additional information, if any: management / implementation plans? Cultural Heritage YES NO TBD Will the activity hinder continuous access to the ☐ ☒ ☐ cultural heritage sites and properties? Remarks/additional information, if any:

Will there be a need to prepare a procedure in case ☐ ☒ ☐ of discovery of cultural heritage assets or physical Remarks/additional information, if any: cultural resources?

Sign-off: Specify the name of the person responsible for the environmental and social screening and any other approvals as may be required in the accredited entity’s own management system. Mr. Roger Cornforth Deputy Director General (GCF Focal Point) Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Email: [email protected]

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Annex 2: Evaluation Report of previous projects

A. Climate knowledge for action: closing the capacity gaps at regional and national levels

Climate knowledge for action: closing the capacity gaps at regional and national A.1. Project Title levels: Achievements under the Programme for Implementing the Global Framework for Climate Services at Regional and National Scales (GFCS/ECCC Project)

A.2. Relevant Small Island Developing States: enhancement of climate services: Pacific Ocean Component component

A.3. Duration 2015-2017

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Government of Canada and A.4. Donors World Meteorological Organization

A.5. Implementing Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) for the Pacific Agencies Ocean component

A.6. Budget US$430,000 – Pacific ocean component

• American Samoa • Nauru • Cook Islands • New Caledonia • Fiji • Niue • Kiribati • Palau

A.7. Impacted • Federated States of Micronesia • Papua New Guinea Countries • French Polynesia • Samoa • Marshall Islands • Solomon Islands • Tuvalu • Tokelau • Vanuatu • Tonga • Wallis and Futuna

To enhance resilience in social, economic and environmental systems to climate A.8. Objective variability and change by developing effective and sustainable regional and national climate services

Three Pacific Islands PICOF- 1 (Fiji, 2015) focused on the El Niño regional and Climate Outlook national climate outlooks, and impacts on the water sector; Forums (PICOFs)

were successfully convened with the PICOF-2 (Fiji, 2016) discussed opportunities for integrating financial support from climate information into disaster risk reduction and disaster the Project from 2015- management; and 2017

A.9. Major Outputs PICOF-3 (Samoa, 2017) built partnerships among NMHSs and the Health sector

Launch of the Pacific WMO approved the launch of the demonstration phase of Island Regional the Pacific Islands RCC-Network (PI-RCC Network) in Climate Centre September 2017, and in October 2017 the Network Network (PI-RCC launched its website hosted by the University of Hawaii. The Network) PI-RCC Network is open and flexible and can evolve according to the Region’s requirements. Since the Pacific Region is vast and individual island nations often cover

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large areas of ocean, there will be many challenges to providing an effective RCC mechanism. A close collaboration within WMO Regional Association V by the PI- RCC-Network and the South East Asian RCC is envisaged

Pacific Islands Climate The First Pacific Islands Climate Outlook Forum (PICOF-1), Outlook Forum the first ever face-to-face Forum to be held in the Pacific, was (PICOF) a product and key achievement of the GFCS/ECCC Project. Its main objectives were to bring together national, regional and international experts on climate services to produce climate outlooks, based on inputs from the NMHSs, regional partners and global centres of climate prediction.

Through interaction among regional and national providers and users of information, PICOF assessed the likely implications of the climate outlook on the most critical sectors in the Pacific region, and explored ways in which information could be used.

The GFCS/ECCC Project was crucial in pooling regional stakeholders and similar regional projects complementary to boosting climate services awareness and delivery in the Region. The GFCS/ECCC Project also provided the means to enable SPREP to mobilize regional stakeholders’ consultation, which included the participation of national stakeholders.

Pacific Island The Pacific Islands Meteorological Strategy (PIMS) 2017– Meteorological 2026, endorsed by the Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC), Strategy (PIMS) provides the development priorities of the Pacific Island midterm review NMHSs.

It sets out the strategic context and direction for strengthening NMHSs, and helps development partners to connect with countries to reach shared goals. PIMS 2017–2026 also determines monitoring and evaluation processes that assist countries in meeting existing reporting requirements under regional and global agreements. Actions using the PIMS therefore have additional, external benefits.

Pacific Roadmap for The Roadmap, endorsed by the PMC, was a flagship Strengthened Climate publication and a major achievement of the GFCS/ECCC Services Project. It is a guide to identifying and implementing the most critical priorities for each Pacific island country, ensuring government and communities have reliable and well- understood information on their climate.

Small islands, weather together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKljNZyLldk A.10. Produced Media Small Island leaders discussed how to deal with the increasing impacts of extreme weather

The GFCS/ECCC Project provided training to the NMHSs and other regional institutions to develop climate services needs, design, implementation, operation, A.11. Project maintenance, and communication. Particular focus was on vulnerable coastal Impacts communities, and the agriculture, water, and health.

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The GFCS/ECCC Project enabled the strengthening of partnerships with other relevant regional projects in the Pacific. Information, success stories, coordination and costs were shared between organizations, especially during regional workshops, meetings or trainings. This facilitated raising the profile of the region’s climate services needs linked to GFCS.

Lessons learned and experiences from the GFCS/ECCC Project were used by SPREP to draft a proposal for a project to be funded by the European Union (EU) to support the development of climate services for Intra African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States. This initiative aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on climate change and foresees funds of around EUR 9 million for the Pacific.

The GFCS/ECCC Project also was the catalyst for a proposal to the Green Climate Fund, ‘Vanuatu Climate Information Services for Resilient Development’, and a USD 20.1 million project, which aims to expand the use of Climate Information Services (CIS) in five targeted sectors: tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, water management and fisheries. This initiative seeks to build technical capacity to harness and manage climate data, developing practical CIS tools, fostering their use, and disseminating tailored climate information.

1. Challenge of vast geographical extent The high cost and logistical challenges posed by inter-island travel constrained the ability of the Project to develop more in-depth working relationships with the beneficiary countries. To counter these complications, the GFCS/ECCC Project relied on partnerships and collaborations with other relevant regional projects to support NMHSs in regional forums.

In the future, ample time for project development should be allotted. The involvement of NMHSs in this conception phase will allow for better national budget planning so that the high internal costs of national consultations, workshops, and training may be countered.

A.12. Remaining 2. Sustainability of the GFCS/ECCC Project products and achievements Needs At the regional level, the GFCS/ECCC Project allowed intergovernmental regional organizations to coordinate and consciously include climate services needs in new projects negotiations and development. Now, NHMSs must further foster collaboration with sectors to develop bilateral projects that strengthen climate services, and include these services in annual budget allocations. This will allow at least one or two key services to be developed per year, including NCOFs. SPREP recommended that its members including Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, France and United States of America collaborate on formulating regional climate services project proposals, and rotate in funding regional climate services projects. Based on the lessons learned from the GFCS/ECCC Project, Pacific Region countries will develop a follow-up project that builds on these recommendations. Effective functioning of the PICS Panel and the RCC Network are crucial to sustaining the robustness of the climate services in the Region.