The “Implementing A ‘Ridge to Reef’ Approach to Protect Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions in Tuvalu (R2R Tuvalu)” project aims to maintain and enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services, sustain livelihoods, and improve resilience. To achieve these goals, the project features four primary components: (1) augmenting and strengthening conservation and protected areas; (2) rehabilitating forests and landscapes, and supporting integrated water resource management (IWRM) and integrated coastal management (ICM); (3) enhancing governance and institutional capacities at all levels to improve resource management; and (4) improving data and information systems to facilitate evidence-based planning, decision-making, and management of natural resources.
The Tuvalu R2R Project is part of the broader Pacific R2R program on “Pacific Islands Ridge-to Reef National Priorities - Integrated Water, Land, Forest & Coastal Management to Preserve Ecosystem Services, Store Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods.” The program is consistent with three of the Global Environment Facility’s five (GEF-5) focal areas: Biodiversity, International Waters, and Land Degradation. As such, the project is expected to make positive gains for the following programs: (1) the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)’s Programme of Work of Protected Areas (PoWPA) of the Aichi Targets and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP 2012–2016), (2) the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD)’s National Action Programme (NAP), (3) the Sustainable and Integrated Water and Sanitation Policy (2012–2021), and (4) the Climate Change Policy and Action Plan.