DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT

Fifth National Report(5NR)

Tuvalu

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Tourism, Environment and Labour. Government of TuvaluTuvalu.... 2015 ’s Fifth National Report 2014

Government of Tuvalu (2014) Fifth National Report to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) .

Drafting of the 5 th National Report:

Mr Epu Falenga

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Trade, Environment and Labor

1

Table of Contents

Acronyms used 3

Executive Summary 4

Part I: An Update on Biodiversity Status, Trends, and Threats and Implications for human well-being.

Q1. The importance of Biodiversity to Tuvalu. 8

Q2. What major changes have taken place in the status and trends of Biodiversity in your country? 9

Q3. What are the main threats to biodiversity? 10

Q4. What are the impacts of the changes on Biodiversity for ecosystem services and the socio economic and cultural implications of these impacts? 15

Optional Questions: What are possible future changes for biodiversity and their impacts? 16

Part II: The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, its implementation, and the mainstreaming of Biodiversity.

Q5. National Biodiversity targets. 17

Q6. How was your National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans been updated to incorporate these targets and to serve as an effective instrument to mainstream biodiversity? 21

Q7. What actions have your country taken to implement the convention since the forth report and what have been the outcomes of these actions? 22

Q8. How effectively has biodiversity been mainstreamed into relevant sectoral strategies, plans and programs? 25

Q9. How fully has your national biodiversity strategy and action plan been implemented?

26

Part III: Progress towards the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity targets and contributions to the relevant 2015 Targets of the Millennium Development Goals.

Q10. What progress has been made by your towards the implementation of the Strategic Plan for biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity targets? 27

2 Q11. What has been the contribution of actions to implement the convention towards the achievement of the relevant 2015 targets of the Millennium Development Goals in your country? 27

Q12. What lessons have been learned from the implementation of the convention in your country? 28

Annex I: Approval/Endorsement by GEF operational focal points and GEF agency 29

Annex II: References used 30

Annex III: Cost/Sample Budget for enabling activities in Biodiversity 31

3 ACRONYMS USED

AusAID Agency for International Development

CBD Convention on Biological Diversity

DoE Department of Environment

EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone

GEF Global Environment Fund

GoT Government of Tuvalu

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IUCN World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature

MFATTEL Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Trade, Environment and Labor

NBSAPs National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans

SPC Secretariat of the Pacific Community

SOPAC Applied Geoscience and Technology Division

SPREP Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

4 Executive Summary

Tuvalu’s fifth national report (5NR)to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) summarises the status and changes to Tuvalu’s Biodiversity since the submission of the fourth national report in 2010. The report was formulated with the guidelines 1 set out by the CBD parties.

Importance of Biodiversity to Tuvalu.

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species regardless of its size and its ecosystem, all have an important role to play in society. Their role in the society contribute to the government and to its people, economically, socio development and naturally. Fisheries 2 and the website domain (.tv) are the top remittance for the Government of Tuvalu where fisheries top the list.

Biodiversity in Tuvalu also signifies the name of some islands like Funafuti (futi for banana), Nukufetau (fetau for Callophyllum inophyllum ), and islets like Funafala (fala for Pandanus tectorius ) because of the type of plants that dominate the island. There are many indigenous plants and trees spreading across the islands, and ( Cocos nucifera ) trees are the dominated trees on most of the Islands.

Biodiversity is very important for its ecosystem services; it provides to the people and to the environment.

Main threats to biodiversity

Below are the main threats that naturally and anthropogenically affect Tuvalu’s biodiversity;

1. Invasive species 3 were introduced into the country from overseas vessels coming to berth in the Funafuti wharf. The introduction of these various invasive species quickly spread to the other outer islands, thus damaging local crops and trees. For example, on Nanumea, the kou leaf worms, nigroapicella , widely destroyed the kanava trees (C ordia subcordata ). Another example would be the islands of Vaitupu and Nanumaga which were seriously affected by the coconut scales ( Aspidiotus destructor ).

2. Overfishing and reef fishing is another threat to Tuvalu’s biodiversity. Eventhough there are laws in place such as the Marine Resources Act that provides for the promotion and regulation of long term conservation and sustainable use of the living marine resources for the benefit of the people of Tuvalu, still people neglect to abide to these laws because of insufficient and less expertise of staff to enforce it and give penalties to these law breakers.

1 Guidelines for the Fifth national report 2 Government of Tuvalu 2014 National Report 3 Plants of Tuvalu

5 3. Water pollution from septic tanks sewage leakages is contaminating ground water supply. The poor designing of the sewage system causes waste water from sewage to discharge to the surrounding areas and into the water lens and the sea. Waste water from pig pens is also a contributing factor. Records show that 71% of the total population of Tuvalu own pigs 4, and the waste from these pig pens leak into the surrounding areas and into the underground water lens.

4. Overcrowding on the capital, Funafuti 5 is one contributing factor to the increased demand for spaces, food and land. The Population and Housing Census report stated that 57.1% of the total population of Tuvalu are residing on Funafuti. This dense population will increase the demand for food, and the clearing of land to build new houses, thus impacting the diversity of species in those areas.

5. Drought on Tuvalu is another natural factor that destroys a lot of crops and edible trees like breadfruit, pandanus and coconut trees. In the last 20 years, droughts occur 4 to 7 times and predicted that in the next 20 years in 2030, it will increase to 8 to 9 times 6. During the recent six months drought in 2011, local principal crops like pulaka (swamp taro) was the only crop that consistently demonstrated a high degree of agricultural stress 7, with banana, pawpaw, breadfruits also showing some stress on them.

6. Pests and Diseases are common to all other Pacific Islands and the coconut scale outbreak ( Aspidiotus destructor ) in 1994 in Nanumaga was devastating. The pests not only destroyed the coconut trees, but also spread to other edible fruits and plants like breadfruits, pawpaw trees, bananas, pandanus, frangipanis, and even the principal food security crops, pulaka (Cyrtosperma chamissonis ) and taro, which were slightly infested. Chemical control of soap, kerosene and Malathion were used on these pests but were unsuccessful.

The Quarantine biologically used to control these pests and diseases by introducing the ladybird beetle (Cocinellid) to prey on the scale . There also used other pests control like the pink mealybug ( Maconellicoccus hirsutus ), black mired garden fleahopper ( Halticus minutus/tibialis/ insularis ), coconut flat ( argaula ) to minimise the spreading of the diseases caused by different viruses like Bacilliform virus on banana and the Rhabdovirus on leaf sap of taro 8 .

7. Coral Bleaching : Many coral species are highly vulnerable to heat stress. Scientists suggest that a 1 degree Celsius increase in average water temperature will cause coral reefs to die- a process known as coral bleaching. Tuvalu is experiencing a small amount of coral bleaching and this is expected to rise in the future. The IPCC predicts that in the next 30 to

4 Population and Housing Census 2012:Volume 1 Analytical Report 5 Population and Housing Census 2012:Volume 1 Analytical Report 6 Climate Change in the Pacific: Scientific Assessment and New Research. Volume 1: Regional Overview 7 Rapid Drought Assessment Tuvalu 13 October-8 November 2011.SOPAC. 8 Entomology & Plant Protection Project

6 50 years coral bleaching events will occur every year. With corals dying, Tuvalu will lose its fish stocks- a principle source of protein for everyone.

8. Ocean Acidification : Increased level of carbon dioxide (CO 2) in the atmosphere are also causing more carbon dioxide to be dissolved in the ocean and hence acidifying the ocean. Acidic sea water causes coral reefs to weaken and become more vulnerable to severe weather events, like cyclones. Recent studies suggest that even if the atmospheric

CO 2 stabilizes at the current level of 380 parts per million (ppm), fewer than half of existing coral reefs in the world will remain. If the levels stabilize at 450 ppm, fewer than 10% of reefs may survive. Weaker coral reefs will exacerbate the problem of coral bleaching and will have a serious effect on food security.

Acidic seawater will also weaken the shells of various shell fish and threaten their survival. This could further limit food sources for Tuvaluans.

9. Saltwater Contamination through Storm Surges : Tuvalu has already experienced the impacts of storm surges that protrude through the soils into the water lens from all the cyclones it has experienced from the past. In 1972, tropical cyclone Bebe destroyed nearly all the houses and edible crops and trees on Funafuti from storm surges. And from the recent tropical cyclone Pam (TC Pam) that hit Tuvalu between 10 th to 11 th March 2015, storm surges at a height of 3 to 5 metres in height has destroyed food crops in Nanumaga, Niutao, Nui, Nukufetau and Nuulaelae.

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAP)

Since the first report, which was the Tuvalu’s Forth NBSAP submission to the secretariat of CBD in 2009, to date most its following sub-outputs had been carried out:

• Establishment of the institutional process and engagement of stakeholders for biodiversity conservation • Production of the National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan • Production of Tuvalu’s first and Forth report to the CBD( now the 5 th National Report), and • The establishment of the Clearing House Mechanism. This will be a website 9.

9 UNDP, 2008.

7 Part I: An update on biodiversity status, trends, and threats and implications for human well-being. Q1. The importance of Biodiversity to Tuvalu.

Biodiversity to the people of Tuvalu is very important as it provides varieties of food, beauty, shelters, traditional and cultural practices.

The people of Tuvalu depend on marine and terrestrial life as their main source of food and their traditional identities. Some of the marine species that brings uniqueness in traditional values and adornment for the people have been decreasing tremendously and have become endangered.

There are 4 categories that this helps in maintaining and sustainably utilizing the use of these biodiversity through:

1.1 Provisioning services (“products obtained from ecosystems”);

• Food( seafood included), crops including swamp taro, and wild foods • Raw materials( organic matter, fuel wood, and fertilizers) • Water • Livelihood security • Health • Energy( biomass fuels) • Ornamental resources (fashion, handicraft, jewellery, decoration, souvenirs like furs, shells, etc.)

1.2 Regulating services (“Benefits obtained from the regulating of ecosystem processes”);

• Habitats for plants and • Protection from wind • Providing shed • Coastal protection • Provide beach sand

1.3 Supporting services (“Ecosystem services that are necessary for the production of all other services”), and

8 1.4 Cultural services (“Nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, reflection, recreation, and aesthetic experiences”).

• Cultural values ( folklore, national symbols) • Spiritual values and historical(use of nature for religious or heritage value or natural) • Recreational, and • Science and education (use of natural ecosystems for school excursions, and scientific discovery). Q2.What major changes have taken place in the status and trends of biodiversity in your country?

2.1 Loss of medicinal plants

Medicinal plant wealth and the number of medicinal plants are declining and disturbed over the years in most of the islands and is now numerically dominated by introduced exotic species. This is the consequence of the interplay of several historical and economic factors. 10

Natural and man-made factors are major causes for the decline and loss of medicinal plants. 2.2 Loss of Kanava( Beach cordia ) from kou leaf worm on Nanumea island

The spread of the kou leafworm to all the neighbouring islands and also to the far Southern islands was alarmingly quicker than expected. The kou leafworm destroyed the Kanava trees (

On the island of Nanumea, the Kanava , commonly known as the beach cordia were devastated by an invasion of the kou leafworms ( Ethmia nigroapicella ) which is the larva of a moth that destroyed historic groves of the trees in Hawai’i in the late 1800s.These worms consume all the leaves and leaving behind the twigs of branches and bare trees. Kanava trees are very important as they provide coastal protection, shade and are habitats for sea birds and other smaller organisms.

The devastation of the Kanava trees on Nanumea by the kou leafworms was considered a national cultural and environmental disaster.

10 Plants of Tuvalu.2012

9 Q3.What are the main threats to biodiversity?

Natural and Man-made causes are contributing factors that threaten the lives of living species: 3.1 Overfishing

For most of the islands, there's a big number of households engaged in reef fishing than the ocean.

Table1 below shows the Households engaged in type of fishing activities.

Island Total

Collecting on Reef Flat Collecting on Lagoon Flat Collecting on Ocean Flat Reef Fishing Lagoon Fishing Ocean Fishing Total 540 341 274 971 932 675 1,761 Nanumea 36 33 13 78 79 38 115 Nanumaga 60 1 51 61 1 66 116 Niutao 57 1 27 87 1 49 123 Nui 68 31 24 106 90 75 138 Vaitupu 101 20 32 188 159 101 226 Nukufetau 34 28 25 95 97 94 124 Funafuti 175 212 84 314 461 207 845 Nukulaelae 8 15 17 38 44 42 67 Niulakita 1 0 1 4 0 3 7

Overfishing through the use of various methods of fishing is one of the main factors contributing to the decrease in the number of fishes.. The most common methods of fishing used by Tuvaluan locals include hand lining, gill netting and trawling.

Graph 1 : Households engaged in fishing activities and fishing methods used.

Tuvalu Funafuti Outer islands

500 400 300 200 100 0

Numberhouseholds of Trawling Hand Gill Scoop Spearing Collecting Other lining netting netting Fishing methods

10 Gill netting for instance is very common to all fishermen as it catches lots of fishes of different sizes in just one scoop. Any kind of fish that is caught in the net regardless of its size is food. From recent findings, the number of fish densities has decreased tremendously.

In Tuvalu, ten conservation areas (CA) were established on eight of its nine Islands, where the Funafuti conservation area was established by Order of the Minister under the Conservation Area Act, while the rest were established by local communities and managed by traditional systems. These CAs are located further away from villages so that they are not disturbed by the local communities. Poaching is a main problem for CAs. Poachers sneak into these areas when the CA keepers have returned home or when they are out of the keeper’s sight.

Studies and findings from previous reports have raised their concerns about overfishing in Funafuti where fishing of small fish is still increasing. 3.2 Pollution

Sewage leakages from septic tanks are a major factor in the contamination of ground water, thus making them unsafe and unhealthy to use. This is due to most poor designing of septic tank systems, where at the end of the septic system, the waste water is drained out into the open surrounding.

Waste leakage from pig pens is another contributing factor. The nutrients from these pig wastes are washed down to the ground water and into the sea when it rains. These also cause our fresh water lens to be polluted, resulting in coral bleaching. From the latest report, around 71% of households on Funafuti own pigs and 90% in the outer Islands. In overall, about 71% of the total number of households in Tuvalu own pigs. 3.3 Population rise

During the census enumeration for 2012, the majority (57.1%) of the total population reside on the capital of Tuvalu, Funafuti, while the remaining 42.9% are in the outer islands. Each of the outer islands had a share of less than 6% of the total population with the exception of Vaitupu (14.5%).

While the total population of Funafuti had increased by 1,660 persons during the intercensal period, the outer islands were decreased by 439 people. All the outer islands showed a decrease in population within the intercensal period.

It is estimated that a surplus of more than 800 kg of fish per person per year is above the basic recommended level of 35 kg.The predicated population growth will increase the total demand of fish for food security.

11 Table 2 shows fish consumption with the increasing population

Variable 2010 2035 2050 2100

Population (x 1000) 11 13 14 19

Fish available per person(kg/year) a 858 744 700 514

Surplus (kg/person/year) b 823 709 665 479

Population growth rate 3 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.8 a= based on 3 tonnes of fish per km 2 of coral reef habitat; b=relative to recommended consumption of 35 kg per person per year.

It is of great concern as more than 50% of the population are residing in Funafuti and this continues to rise in the coming years (Population and Housing Census 2012: Volume 1 Analytical Report). 3.4 Drought

The shortage of water in Tuvalu due to the decrease in amount of rainfall for a prolong period has disturbed the lives of living species on land and in the sea.

The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (Phase 3) model project that mild drought will occur approximately eight to nine times every 20 years in 2030 under all emissions scenarios, decreasing to six to seven times by 2090.(Climate Change in the pacific: Scientific Assessment and New Research. Volume 2: Country Reports). 3.5 Invasive species

3.5.1 Yellow crazy ants

The impact of the yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes ) on Funafuti had vastly destroyed crops, attacked wildlife such as chickens, crabs, coconut crabs and gave a crying indication that the population of these ants had increased tremendously over the years and had spread to the outer islands as well.

Nanumea, an island that is located to the North of the group was recently affected by these ants colony. Information from Nukulaelae also confirmed that the crazy ants are the cause for the decline in the number of coconut crabs. As a result, the Kaupule on the island had banned harvesting of coconut crabs to fight against extinction of the species. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in the Pacific Invasive Initiative Project explained that the crazy ants release an acid that burns on contact and blinded the coconut crabs, thus disabling them to hunt for food. Few studies have been undertaken on the life cycle of these crazy ants, and how they got into Tuvalu, and also how they spread to the outer islands.

12 However, SPC had expressed its disappointment on the spread of the yellow ant to Tuvalu as it shows that there has been a lapse in bio-security in each country.

3.5.2 Flora

There are about 356 species or distinct varieties of plants present in Tuvalu. Only 64(18%) are indigenous and the remaining 292 species (82%) are non-indigenous exotic species that had been introduced. Of the 292 non-indigenous or exotic species, 12 of which are possibly aboriginal introductions, three are ferns, two gymnosperms, and 287 are flowering plants (angiosperms), 94 of which are monocotyledons and 193 dicotyledons.

Invasive species are a major threat to biodiversity in the Pacific Islands, and nearly 65% of the floras found in Tuvalu are alien. The most widespread invasive species are Wedelia trilobata , Lantana camara , three species of Rattuss , are common in all Tuvalu islands which is a major threat to avifauna species, poultry livestock and other important terrestrial species. There is another emerging alien/invasive marine species, the crown-of-thorns (Acanthaster planci ) which is introduced into Tuvaluan waters through the discharge of ballast water and other carrying water cargos. No plants are endemic in Tuvalu.

Table 3 shows 356 vascular plants in Tuvalu. Numbers in parenthesis indicate the total including additional species recorded in Tuvalu.

Class Indigenous Aboriginal Recent Total(Funafuti) Intro. Intro. (Tuvalu) Ferns and Fern Allies 6(7) - 3 9(10) Gymnosperms - - 2 2(2) Moncotyledons 10(11) 7 87 104(105) Dicotyledons 41(46) 5 188 234(239) Total 57(64) 12 280 349(356) 3.5.3 Sea weeds

One of the recent invasive seaweed species that is an eyesore in the lagoon of Funafuti is the Sargassum polycyctum . It is suspected that it was brought into the lagoon of Funafuti from discharged ballast tanks of foreign vessels. These seaweeds are dense in its coverage and have lessened the penetration of sunlights into the live corals. These corals where micro-organisms and small fish shelters in depends on the sunlight for nutrients and foods have resulted in the blockages of the sunlight and thus hinder the lives of these small fishes and other living organisms. 3.6 Increase salination

Most of the islands elevations are from 3 to 4.5 meters above sea level. During the king tides of the month where the height of the sea goes as high above 3 metres above sea level, it has resulted in the intrusion of salt water into the water lens. These mixtures of the pure

13 water and salt water have decreased the purity of the water and damage local crops and trees. Nanumea, Nanumaga, Nui, Funafuti, Nukulaelae and Niutao were highly affected by this salt water intrusion.

3.7 Climate Change

This is an emerging major factor that is widely affecting low lying islands of Tuvalu. People have experienced changes and variability in the climate such as shift in rainfall patterns, increasing frequency of extreme events and sea level rising.

These changes in shifting patterns are affecting the people’s livelihood, environment, and agriculture.

Over the course of this 21 st century for future climate:

• Surface air temperature and sea surface temperature are projected to continue to increase (very high confidence). • Annual and seasonal mean rainfall is projected to increase ( high confidence). Figure 1. Browning taro patches affected by salt water intrusion after tropical cyclone Pam. Courtesy of the Department Home Affairs. • The intensity and frequency of days of extreme heat are projected to increase ( very high confidence). • The intensity and frequency of days of extreme rainfall are projected to increase (high confidence). • The incidence of drought is projected to decrease (moderate confidence). • Tropical cyclone numbers are projected to decline in the South-east Pacific ocean basin (0-40 0S, 170 0E-130 0W)( moderate confidence). • Ocean acidification is projected continue ( very high confidence). • Mean sea-level rise is projected to continue ( very high confidence). 3.8 Coastal deforestation

The cutting down of big trees like Beach mahogany and pandanus trees for building of houses have resulted in the destruction of living organisms' habitats, especially birds. Most birds nest their juvenile’s on these trees, and their destruction of these habitats has resulted in the disappearances of birds and living organisms that depend on the shades of these trees. The clearance of coastal trees is for the developments of new buildings, landfills, roads, houses and infrastructures.

14 3.9 Pests and Diseases

From the Entomology and Plant Protection Project Report 11 , few Islands were affected by the spreading of pests and diseases to their crops and edible trees. In March 1994, the outbreak of the coconut scale (Aspidiotus destructor ) in Nanumaga Island, severely infested a range of plants including coconut trees, breadfruits, pawpaws, bananas, Pandanus , frangipani and Premna serratifolia , even the principal food security crops, pulaka( Cyrtosperma chamissonis ) and taro were reported to be slightly infested. The infestation spread quickly to other trees and crops due to the dry climate experienced in Nanumaga (mean annual rainfall 2610mm) compared to Funafuti(mean annual rainfall 3465mm), and the lack of natural enemies. Chemical control of the insect, through spraying of soap, kerosene and malathion, and the cutting and burning of infested plants material reported unsuccessful. A biological control method was used through the introduction of ladybird (Cocinellidae) beetles as a predator feeding on scale . Most of the pests found in the outer islands were brought through the frequent but not illegal transfer of infested germplasm between islands over the years including the pink mealybug (Maconellicoccus hirsutus ) which is a perennial but sporadic pest of breadfruit and other crops including the exotic introduced leaf vegetable nambele. Another pest to note is the black mirid garden fleahopper ( Halticus minutus/ tibialis / insularis on the islands of Funafuti, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Niulakita and Nui. Other pests worth noting specifically outside their tabular inclusion are the aphids Aphis gossypii , Aphis craccivora ( both polyphagous) and Pentalona nigronervosa ( on banana) together with the delphacid planthopper Tarophagus Proserpina ( on taro) all of which cause leaf deformation and yellowing as pests or may act as vectors of plant viruses.

This Entomology and Plant Protection Project report is based on the 2 year period in 1996 to 1998 which is more than 10 years ago. We do not have findings or survey to report on the current status of pests existing today. Q4.What are the impacts of the changes in biodiversity for ecosystem services and the socio economic and cultural implications of these impacts?

• Loss of sea birds, Seagulls and black noddy ( Anous minutus ) birds through eating and hunting

11 Final Report, Entomology & Plant Protection Project(August 1996-August 1998).

15 Most of the Islands hunt these sea birds as a protein food when they tire of fish or during important occasions on the islands. These birds are very important to fishermen as they guide them to schools of fish near the shore or further away from the island. These colonies of birds have the ability to see schools of fish from a distance, and this helps to guide the fishermen to a particular fishing ground.

As other protein foods are scarce in the country, people hunt and eat these birds as a supplementary food for proteins. Since the population of birds is decreasing because of hunting, fishermen also find it hard for them to locate the exact location of these schools of fish. Around 83% of the people depend on ocean fishing for fish, and with the decline number of birds, the fuel consumption will be high for the fishermen to get to different location to spot these schools of fish.

• Coral bleacing and pollution

According to the Alofa Project; one of the main effects of coral bleaching is the lack of water treatment plant for treating wastewater, which enters the ocean and lagoon directly or through seepage of the freshwater lens. Optional questions: What are possible future changes for biodiversity and their impacts?

• Climate change and sea level rise increases

One of the major and an ongoing issue that is affecting Tuvalu is climate change which is a global phenomenon that is widely affecting low lying areas and is a threat to Tuvalu’s biodiversity.

From 1993, the National Tidal Facility Institute from Australia has been monitoring the sea level rise and established their automatic weather stations around the region and in Tuvalu taking sea pressure, sea temperature and wind velocity. From March 1993 and September 2009 the average seal level trend has been 5.3 mm per year. The global average is 1-2 mm per year. Part II: The national biodiversity strategy and action plan, its implementation, and the mainstreaming of biodiversity .

Q5.National Biodiversity targets.

16 Tuvalu is always on the edge to achieve the Strategic goals under the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The national target will be formulated when the review of the NBSAP starts soon. With its initial NBSAP project established in 2008 and its second phase in 2014, the projects main objective:

“Is to enable Tuvalu to revise its National Biodiversity Strategies and Action

Plans (NBSAPs), to develop the Fifth National Report to the CBD and to

Reinforce its Clearing House Mechanism”.

The review of Tuvalu’s NBSAPs and the Clearing House Mechanism will start soon in the upcoming workshop with all the stakeholders where these targets would need to be assess properly, review thoroughly and defined in the context of Tuvalu’s priorities after the Fifth National Report, and all the strategy goals under the Aichi Targets will be shown in the newly review NBSAPs. Q6.How has your national biodiversity strategy and action plan been updated to incorporate these targets and to serve as an effective instrument to mainstream biodiversity?

From its preliminary community consultations that were conducted on four island communities to collect information on their island biodiversity and to incorporate it into the NBSAPs. The result from these information found that the perceived threats was caused from human negligence and attitudes such as littering, over-fishing and hunting, using of fish nets and modern fishing methods, use of guns, introduction of pests, use of inappropriate technologies( solid/liquid waste water disposal systems), uncontrolled use of resources and livestock, increasing consumption patterns due to increase human population, demands and changing lifestyles, institutional weaknesses, ignorance and lack of knowledge, natural factors and climate change. These perceived threats are shown in the table below.

Table 5.Perceived major threats to island biodiversity.

Nanumaga Funafuti Nanumea Niutao

High consumption X

17 Little replanting X X

Increased population density X

Overuse and overharvesting X X X X

Availability of guns for hunting birds and X X fish/use of guns

Uncontrolled use/uncontrolled pigs X X

Commercialisation X

Overcrowding by people X

Increased construction/village expansion X X X

Hurricane Bebe X

Not using as often as before X

Loss of knowledge and skills X

Lack of legal protection X

Climate change X X X X

Loss of habitat/vegetation X

Increasing preference for imported food X resources rather than local ones. Ignoring local species.

Human actions X X X X

Invasive(pest, animals, plants) X X X X

Salt water intrusion X X X

Prolonged drought X X X

Pests X

Waste water/solids/toxic waste X X X X

War debris X

Natural disaster X X

18 Waves X X

Littering X X

Customary laws X

Land clearing X X

Coastal erosion X X X X

Source: Adapted from Paeniu, 2009a; Paeniu, 2009b and Saini, 2009.

There is not much change of our current Fifth National Report from our Fourth National Report. The expected annual output for 2008 and 2009 is:

“Enhanced national capacity through multi-stakeholder participation in planning and pre- investment activities to meet commitments and obligations to the Convention on Biological Diversity”.

These priorities and strategies will be achieved by the following outputs:

• Establishment of the institutional process and engagement of stakeholders for biodiversity conservation • Production of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan • Production of Tuvalu’s first, third and fifth report to the Convention on Biological Biodiversity Conference of Parties (CBD COP). • The establishment of a Clearing House Mechanism. This will principally be a website. Q7.What actions have your country taken to implement the convention since the fourth report and what have been the outcomes of these action?

Tuvalu has newer projects implemented in 2014 and 2015 that targeted different priority areas.

One of the projects is the Integrated Island Biodiversity (IIB) Project that promotes Conservation Areas as one solution to protect and preserve Tuvalu’s precious marine resources. Another is the National Adaptation Program of Action phase II(NAPA II) Project that looks into the protection of coastal fisheries, and was implemented in 2015.

19 The two projects above are still undergoing its field survey on some of the Islands and its result from the survey will be shown in the review of the NBSAP.

As Awareness is one of the targets where community has to know the importance of the protection of marine life; consultations with island communities, school children at Kindergartens and Secondary schools were also consulted during the commemoration of the Biodiversity day.

There have not been any changes to some specific areas since the Fourth Report was published. The lack of on-the-field data studies and monitoring of the changes has lessened the progress of the outcomes. Few areas that the conventions are more interested in are described below. 7.1 Conservation of Marine and Terrestrial Biodiversity

The Tuvalu protected area network is 75.932 kilometre square for both the marine and terrestrial area. Around 75.66 kilometres square are for MPAs, and fewer are for land. For the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 719,174 kilometres square and it is sanctuary for all crustaceans, turtles, sharks, whales and dolphins.

The Alofa project has covered their survey on three islands: Funafuti, Nanumea and Nukulaelae. And from their findings:

• No endemics were recorded. • Previous reports have raised concerns about signs of overfishing in Funafuti, such as lower abundances and smaller individuals, especially in accessible areas of the more populated atolls. • Poaching may also hamper the recovery of exploited species inside the Conservation Areas (CAs). • At least 79 species of interest are listed in the IUCN Red List, of which 29 are included in one of the “Near Threatened or Threatened categories”. The total number of reef fish species for Tuvalu is currently 599. • Coral cover in and around the CAs is relatively low on the surveyed atolls, and tends to increase with the degree of lagoon openness (from a mean of 6% in Nanumea to 15% in Funafuti). 7.2 Threatened species

At least 79 species of interest are listed in the IUCN Red List, of which 29 are included in one of the Near Threatened or Threatened categories. There are no assessed species listed as Extinct or Extinct in the Wild for Tuvalu, also Tuvalu has no assessed endemic species. According to the biodiversity survey by SPREP in 2003, they discovered that only one species

20 is endemic and new is the Lepidodactylus tepukapili, and is found only on the islet, Tepuka.On recent survey to the islet, there hasn’t been any trace of this lizard.

Table 4 shows the estimated number of described and assessed species.

Taxonomic Sub group Estimated number Number of Species of species Assessed Group described*

Mosses 0 0

Ferns 2 0

Cycads 0 0

Plants Conifers 0 0

Dicots 3 2

Monocots 1 0

Algae 1 0

Fungi 114 0

Total Plants 121 2

Birds 19 19

Mammals 22 22

Reptile 5 1

Amphibians 0 0

Fish Marine Fish 188 55

Fresh-water Fish 1 0

Total Fish 189 55

Insects 31 0

Arachnids 0 0

Hard Corals 353 353

Invertebrates Molluscs(Bivalves 20 6

21 and gastropods)

Crustaceans unknown 1

Hydrozoa unknown 2

Other Invertebrates Unknown 0

Total Invertebrates 404 362

Totals 760 461

*For sources, see page 2 of “The Pacific islands: An analysis of the status of species as listed on the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™”

Table 5 shows the percentage of assessed species listed as threatened

Graph 2 shows the number of assessed species in each red list category

22

Q8.How effectively has biodiversity been mainstreamed into relevant sectoral strategies, plans and programmes?

MAINSTREAMING INTO SECTORAL STRATEGIES WITH REFERNCE TO THE 2010 CBD TARGET

A broad framework for environmental and biodiversity considerations has been provided by the National Strategies for Sustainable Development 2005-2015 (NSSD) adopted in 2005. It provides for the sustainable development of resources.

The NSSD identified eight strategic areas, one of which is Natural Resources: Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism and Environment. Noting that Tuvaluan society and its subsistence economy have been built on the sustainable use of the nations limited natural resources, now under threat, the challenge is to reconcile conflicts arising from changing attitudes and a growing cash economy.

The priorities and strategies for the Environment are to:

• Develop and implement urban waste and management plan for Funafuti (Completed in 2006). • Establish national climate change adaptation and mitigation policies • Encourage international adaptation of Multilateral Environment Agreements, including the Kyoto Protocol

23 • Increase the number of conservation areas (CAs) and ensure regulatory compliance

Biodiversity conservation was not made explicit in the NSSD, but has been subsumed under the strategy for CAs. There are also possible conflicts with key policy objectives for Agriculture and Tourism. For instance, objectives to increase the land available for agricultural production and increase the number of tourists could be environmentally detrimental if not carefully managed.

The NSSD led to the 2007 Kakeega Matrix which presented an up-to-date account of Tuvalu’s development needs, stated that each donor was involved or intended to be involved. It highlighted specific areas, projects or activities where Tuvalu lacks the experience, technical experience and/or financial resources. Some of the projects identified for the Environment for the period 2007-2009 have been actioned, such as finding for a solid waste management plan, the development of the NBSAP, the establishment of more conservation areas, the development and the implementation of Environment Impact assessment policies. The National Development Act was produced and came into force on 24 June, 2008. The Act explicitly provides for the protection of biodiversity in Part IX, setting out the role of the Department of the Environment.

The Kakeega III ( Tuvalu National Strategy for Sustainable Development) summit will be started in November 2015 and in its plan, is to increase more conservation areas in all the islands, protection of endangered species, and the monitoring of inbound vessels that increase the risk of adding more invasive species(marine and terrestrial) to Tuvalu.

In December 2005 Tuvalu prepared the National Action Programme (NAP) and submitted it to the UNCCD Secretariat. It recognised the connectivity of objectives with other Multi- lateral Environment Agreements (MEAs). It was noted that because land degradation affects and is affected by environmental concerns such as loss of biological diversity and the effect of climate change, the NAP had great potential to promote synergies with other environmental programmes. It provided strategic priority activities on land degradation, inventory and monitoring, the establishment of sustainable land management plans and the integration of traditional knowledge into modern systems. The unavailability of data and poor role of the NAP meant that actions haven’t translated into concrete initiative.

Tuvalu has also prepared an updated National Environment Management Strategy (NEMS) where it is aligned with the Aichi Targets in which the Department of Environment and its key stakeholders have looked into the areas of concerned. Less information on the NEMS at this stage because the NEMS is still under review by the SPREP and hopefully to be approved and published sometimes soon.

24 Q9.How fully has your national biodiversity strategy and action plan been implemented?

Tuvalu has come up with its own NBSAP and other Biodiversity related projects, and is still relying on the Tuvalu National Environmental Strategy (NEMS) that was published in 1997. The Environment department has been strengthened and has full time professional staff and a clerk. The NEMS recommended the production of:

• EIA Guidelines • The National Environment Protection Act • Environmental Education • Training of Teachers • Awareness programmes • Development Plans for Funafuti and the outer islands, and • Investigation of Traditional Knowledge

Since the release of the NEMs, there are urgent issues still needed to be addressed. These include; survey and data deficiencies, marine and terrestrial ecosystems still used unsustainably, no comprehensive land-use planning. Landowners for instance have the right to do with their land, which may lead to dispute to the lands right, the erection of buildings, to rubbish disposal, solid and liquid wastes discharges and vegetation clearing.

The energy programme has been developed and is now in operation at the Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute. An integrated environment monitoring and reporting system is still to be developed.

The NEMS drew more attention on global warming and sea level rise and their likely impacts on fresh water supply but advocated the priorities needed to be balanced. Global warming has now become an even greater concern. Instead of thinking of it as overshadowing other issues, it would be more useful to think of it as a catalyst for both mutually reinforcing short term and long-term actions. Part III: Progress towards the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets and contributions to the relevant 2015 Targets of the Millennium Development Goals Q10. What progress has been made by your country towards the implementation of the

25 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets?

The Aichi Biodiversity Targets that sets out in section Q5 have not been fully implemented into Tuvalu NBSAPs.

Initial consultations with stakeholders under the NBSAPs project will be starting soon and this is where the Aichi Biodiversity Targets will be fully implemented and induced into Tuvalu NBSAPs. Q11. What has been the contribution of actions to implement the Convention towards the achievement of the relevant 2015 targets of the Millennium Development Goals in your country?

The Millennium Development Goals Target 7: Environment sustainability

This is the key area where climate change and sea level rise are highly spoken at the national and international level. The danger of climate change and sea level rise in Tuvalu based on experience and evidence is a concern to the people’s future existence.

With regard to sea level rise, Tuvalu sea trend is +5.1mm per year as the data set grows. Accounting for precise levelling results and inverted barometric pressure effect, the trend is +4.77mm per year.2 Data are taken from Geoscience Australia and SOPAC monitoring equipment 3 which are stationed permanently on Funafuti. In January 2009, the Government of Tuvalu and Government of Japan signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a development planning study to be done by Japan to propose short-term measures for the prevention of coastal erosion. The project, Eco-technological Management of Tuvalu against Sea Level Rise, objectives includes:

1. Assessing ecosystem, coastal erosion and protection/rehabilitation of damaged areas,

2. Making a plan on sustainable measures for coastal protection/rehabilitation,

3. Strengthening capacity of institutions and communities for coastal management.

The study draft completed in January 2010 recommended adopting beach nourishment grained gravel on the lagoon coastline to prevent waves overtopping coastline. This is a short-term measure that further, will contribute to the long term countermeasures (beach rehabilitation) being promoted by the JICA Science and Technological Research Partnership

26 for Sustainable Development project (Foram Sand Project). The construction of beach nourishment grained gravel on Funafuti atoll only is expected to be completed by 2020 Q12. What lessons have been learned from the implementation of the convention in your country?

One of the major lessons learned from the convention is the lack of human resources, which slows or delays the work of the protocols in the convention. With the formulation of the departments new staff structure, it will add and speed up the areas where the work is needed the most.

Since the ratification of Tuvalu to the CBD in 2002 and the first NBSAPs report was put in place in 2010, the work started to progress well through the years as there were proper staff working on it, compared to past experiences where the work was slow as there was no specific personnel appointed to carry out the work, and also the officers working may have lacked the expertise in managing the convention.

The Department of Environment has come up with its new staff structure for 2015 to be passed in the next sitting of the Cabinet this December to recruit the Assessment and Monitoring Unit, Ozone and Chemicals Unit, Land Degradation Unit, Biodiversity Unit, Climate Change Unit, and the Information and Knowledge Unit. The structure was formulated as the Government of Tuvalu is very concerned on Climate Change Convention which is a priority in their agenda.

27 ANNEX I: Approval/Endorsement by GEF operational focal point(s) and GEF agency

28 ANNEX II: References used

1. Australian Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO.2011.Climate Change in the Pacific: Scientific Assessment and New Research. Volume 1: Regional Overview. Australian Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO. 2. Ceccarelli, D.Gallic, G.2011. Tuvalu Marine Life. An Alofa Tuvalu Project. SYNTHESIS REPORT . 3. Central Statistics Division.2013. POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS 2012: VOLUME 1 ANALYTICAL REPORT . United Nations Population Fund, Suva. . 4. Convention on Biological Diversity.National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) www.cbd.int/nbsap/ downloaded 10 August 2014. 5. Convention on Biological Diversity. Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, including Aichi Biodiversity Targets www.cbd.int/nbsap/ downloaded 15 October 2014. 6. Government of Tuvalu. 2011. Tuvalu Millennium Development Goals Progress Report 2010/2011 . Government of Tuvalu. 7. Government of Tuvalu. & UNDP. 2012. Tuvalu National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans 2012-2016. 8. Hills, T. Brooks, A. Atherton, J. Rao, N. & James, R. 2011. Pacific Island Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Climate Change Adaptation: Building on Nature’s Resilience . SPREP Library/IRC Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. 9. Secretariat of the Pacific Community.2012. Rapid Drought Assessment Tuvalu. Secretariat of the Pacific Community. Suva. Fiji. 10. Secretariat of the Pacific Community.2011. Vulnerability of Tropical Pacific Fisheries and Aquaculture to Climate Change. SPC, New Caledonia. 11. Thaman, R. Fihaki, E. Fong, T.2012 . Plants of Tuvalu . The University of the South Pacific press, Suva. Fiji.

12. Dabek,A.J.1998. FINAL REPORT: ENTOMOLOGY & PLANT PROTECTION PROJECT . Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC).

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ANNEX III: Cost/Sample Budget for Enabling Activities in Biodiversity

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