Enhancing Climate Resilient Planning and Decision Making in the Republic of Marshall Islands
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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” Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1 GREEN CLIMATE FUND | PAGE 1 OF 5 A. Project Information (max. 1 page) ☒ Project A.2. Public or private ☒ Public sector A.1. Project or programme ☐ sector ☐ Programme 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 Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1 GREEN CLIMATE FUND | PAGE 2 OF 5 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