G-PAS Second Synthesis - 30 Nov 2007

GEF-Pacific Alliance for Sustainability

Eligible National Priorities for Project Preparation to be finalized at the Bali UNFCCC G-PAS Side Event on 5th December, 2007.

Samoa expects to attract somewhere between $USD5-10million to help fund about 10 major environmental projects.

Whilst the MNRE acts as the G-PAS Operational Focal Point, it is imperative that these planned projects are harmonized with other existing and planned country projects/programmes. All Ministries are expected to be involved in one way or another.

In addition, both NGOs and CBOs are also expected to assist both the private sector and public sector successfully implement the approved G-PAS-funded projects.

The following second draft synthesis attempts to harmonize all the G-PAS projects from all PICs.


COUNTRIES
Biodiversity
Adaptation
Mitigation
International Waters
POPs
Cross-cutting capacity building
Cook Island
IAS
PACC
EE, PIGREP
IWRM

CB2
Fiji
FR
PACC
PIGREP
IWRM
MNI
CB2
Kiribati
IIB, IAS

PIGREP
IWRM
MNI

Marshall Island
MC, IAS
PACC-2
ADMIRE

SW
CB2
Micronesia
MC, IAS
PACC

IWRM
SW

Nauru
IIB
PACC
PIGREP
IWRM


Niue
IAS, FR
PACC

IWRM


Palau
MC
PACC-2

IWRM
SW

Papua New Guinea
IAS, FR, CTI
PACC
LULUCF, PIGREP
IWRM
SW, DDT, NIP

Samoa
FR, IAS
PACC
EE, PIGREP
IWRM


Solomon Island
CTI
PACC
PIGREP
IWRM
SW
CB2

Tonga
IAS, MB
PACC
EE, PIGREP

SW
CB2
Timor Leste
EA
NAPA-I



CB2
Tuvalu
IIB, EA
PACC, NAPA-I
PIGREP
IWRM
SW, DDT
CB2
Vanuatu
FR, IAS
PACC
EE, PIGREP
IWRM

CB2
ACRONYMS
Biodiversity

Climate Change

IAS
Invasive Species Management
PACC
Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change
FR
Forestry protected area management
ADMIRE
Action for the Development of Marshall Islands Renewable Energies
IIB
Integrated island biodiversity management and community conservation
PIGREP
Pacific Islands Greenhouse Gas Abatement through Renewable Energy Project in 10 countries (ongoing)
MC
Micronesia Challenge
EE
Energy Efficiency in buildings
CTI
Coral Reef Triangle
NAPA-I
NAPA Implementation
EA
Enabling Activities


International Waters

POPs

IWRM
Integrated Water Resources Management/Water Supply Protection

SW
Integrated solid and hazardous waste and POPs management
Cross cutting Capacity Building
DDT
Alternatives to DDT
CB2
Cross-cutting capacity building projects
MNI
Monitoring of POPs
LAND MANAGEMENT

GEF-UNDP Targeted Portfolio Project on Capacity Building and Mainstreaming of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The umbrella program was CEO endorsed in September 2004. The program aims at developing individual, institutional and systemic capacity for sustainable land management in these countries. GEF funding is available to LDCs and SIDS for targeted capacity building through individual MSPs.

BIODIVERSITY

Sustainable Finance Systems for Island Protected Area Management (Micronesia Challenge) – Marshall Islands, Palau and Micronesia
GEF Agency: UNEP

Invasive Species Management – Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Cook Island, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Niue
GEF Agency: UNEP (and UNDP and FAO)

Strengthening community-based marine resources and fisheries management (Coral Triangle Initiative) – Solomon Island and Papua New Guinea
GEF Agency: Asian Development Bank

Terrestrial/Forestry Protected Area Management – Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa and Niue
GEF Agency: UNDP (and World Bank)

Integrated island biodiversity and community conservation – Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu (concept to be developed)
GEF Agency: UNDP OR UNEP OR ?

Mainstreaming of biodiversity – Tonga
GEF Agency: World Bank

Enabling activity (Reporting to CBD) – Timor Leste, Tuvalu
GEF Agency: UNDP, UNEP and WB

Comments on other proposals not being included in the list:
(i) Nauru Integrated Coastal Management Programme - Nauru submitted two priorities, the other being the restoration of the top-side habitats. Need to confirm with Nauru if it comes down to choosing between coastal management and terrestrial which would be more of a priority. The loss of BD over many years of phosphate mining is likely the higher priority for this coral island country.
(ii) Niue Biotechnology and Biosafety for Agricultural and Environmental Sustainability - When listed as a regional project, others like PNG and Samoa might join. It would be worth going back to countries to confirm if they would join this project if included in GEFPAS as a regional/multi-country project. The synergies with IAS activities in stregthening biosecurity systems might make it worth considering the integration with IAS.
(iii) Sustainable Management of Coastal Resources at Vaiusu Bay. Samoa listed this project as multi-focal area (BD, IW, LD, CC). Samoa also proposed $1.6m from BD to be allocated to its forestry project. As Samoa is also in the regional invasive species project there may not be enough funds available under BD RAF for this project. Protecting the mangroves can be included in Adaptation but need to ensure no overlaps with PACC
(iv) Tuvalu’s strengthening of community based conservation programs on highly vulnerable near shore marine and land/coastal ecosystems

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Building resilience to climate change (Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change) – Cook Islands, Fiji, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu (extension to other countries)
Lead GEF Agency: UNDP
Extending PACC to Palau, Marshall Islands to be considered

NAPA Implementation- Timor Leste, Tuvalu (plus other LDCs).A follow up project from NAPAs, as determined by the country. (LDCF)[1]
GEF Agency: UNDP and UNEP

Comments on other proposals not being included in the first list:
(i) Tonga – PACC first. Other Priorities: Activities need to be finalized first in PACC with the implementing agency. Climate proofing, with ADB
(ii) Cooks Islands- PACC first. Other Priorities: Integrated Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management-SCCF
(iii) Samoa- PACC First. Other Priorities: Integrated Climate Change Adaptation in Samoa. (SCCF). Clarification is needed to make sure activities do not have overlap with PACC.
(iv) Nauru- Needs additional work as the list of priorities is unclear and follow up projects are difficult to envision.
(v) Solomon Islands - PACC first – need to determine activities in PACC. Other Priorities: Climate Proofing, Enhancement of National Meteorological Hydrological Service related to Climate Change and Variability – (SCCF)
(vi) Fiji- PACC First- Other Priorities: Enhancing resilience in tourism sector to CC impacts – (SCCF)
(vii) Micronesia. PACC first, Other Priorities: (?) finalize activities. Climate Proofing (SCCF)

Please note that there are no resources left in the SCCF except for the PACC project (there is a possibility to include in the PACC the two remaining island states that are not in the PACC, Marshall Islands and Palau. As Kiribati has already accessed $2 million GEF resources through the SPA and can access $3.5 million GEF/LDCF resources it is fair to give priority to the other two island states). Even though it would be more efficient to add two more states to the PACC - Palau and Marshall Islands may select a different Implementing Agency, as the process is country driven.

There are some resources, although limited, under the SPA in the GEF trust fund. The SPA does not follow the RAF. The LDCF and SCCF do not follow the RAF.

As the resources under the SCCF have been all allocated, except for the resources planned to finance the PACC, all priorities that fall under the SCCF can be submitted under the SCCF only after it is communicated that the donors have announced new pledges to the SCCF.

Climate Change Mitigation Projects

Energy efficiency program - Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, Cook Islands. Energy Efficiency focusing on electricity end uses (demand side management), appliance labeling, and technology transfer is a good idea. Improved energy efficiency of buildings (e.g. Government buildings, tourism.), Enhanced Institutional and technical capabilities to implement energy efficiency. . There is the possibility of formulating a good regional energy efficiency project here, if countries agree. Other countries might choose to participate as well.
GEF Agency: Asian Development Bank

ADMIRE Project in Marshall Islands was recently approved by the GEF.
GEF Agency: UNDP

Extended PIGREP or Sustainable Economic Development through Renewable Energy Applications (SEDREA) in Nauru and Palau should be feasible as both are proposing some form of renewable energy projects. Neither are in PIGGAREP. (PIGREP is a renewable energy project approved in GEF-3 and is designed to assist countries identify viable RE projects in 10 countries).
GEF Agency: UNDP

LULUCF Project in Papua New Guinea replacing the proposed biomass project which is not very well described and raises questions about its sustainability. We would therefore suggest that PNG use their CC allocation and combine it with resources from the BD focal area and make it a larger sustainable forests project, using the CC money to ensure LULUCF benefits.
GEF Agency: World Bank

Comments on other proposals not being included in the first list:
(i) Fiji and Vanuatu: Both countries propose transport projects. There should be some collaboration and cooperation as the solutions of SIDS in these areas may be quite similar. Perhaps a regional program could be proposed to ensure some sharing of experiences and approaches. Can consider a regional project.
(ii) Kiribati: Kiribati is already participating in PIGREP, so proposing another RE project at present does not seem practical. Better to wait until PIGGAREP makes progress.

INTERNATIONAL WATERS

Integrated Water Resources Management/Water Supply Protection
GEF Agency: UNDP and UNEP

Ridge to Reef and Integrated Coastal Management -Palau, Micronesia and Solomon islands. This project can be included in the Coral Triangle Initiative.
GEF Agency: Asian Development Bank

POPS

Support to POPs monitoring - Fiji and Kiribati. Kiribati and Fiji listed this project as a regional priority, but again will need flexibility for others to be in the MSP, especially countries that in other for a were identified to be in the project such as Niue, Samoa, Palau, and Solomon Islands
GEF Agency: UNEP with University of South Pacific.[2]

DDT alternatives: PNG, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
GEF Agency: UNEP with WHO (Regional Office in Manila)[3]


Integrated solid and hazardous waste and POPs management - Cook Islands, FSM, Marshall Islands, PNG, Samoa, Tuvalu, Palau, Tonga (the latter two countries only if they ratify the Stockholm Convention). This regional project with specific country-level interventions would address the requests of the countries wishing to work on NIP implementation and/or waste management, and would support the recently adopted Pacific Strategy for Waste Management. Others might wish to join in this effort when they are made aware of it. This concept would have to be much developed before writing a PIF.
GEF Agency: Asian Development Bank in collaboration with SPREP and the Basel regional centre for the Pacific.

NIP implementation- Papua New Guinea
GEF Agency: Possibly with UNDP

CROSS-CUTTING CAPACITY BUILDING

Development of capacity to sustain global environmental benefits (Follow-up of NCSAs) – Vanuatu, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Timor Leste, Tuvalu
GEF Agency: UNEP, UNDP, World Bank


[1] Acronyms: LDCF Least Developed Countries Fund
SCCF Special Climate Change Fund
SPA Strategic Priority on Adaptation

[2] UNEP is developing an MSP to support effectiveness evaluation under the Stockholm Convention. The Pacific component of which would address these requests. PIF is under development.

[3] PIF submitted for consideration.