v

TUVALU

Tuvalu counts 9 islands administered by Kaupules and a population of 10,800 people. LoCAL is engaged in 3 Kaupules in Tuvalu.

Climate Vulnerability:

Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world with a population of around 11,000 and a land area of 25.9 km2. Like other Pacific Island countries, Tuvalu faces a unique set of development challenges due to its small size, remoteness and narrow production and export bases. While these challenges remain, the risk from climate change threatens Tuvalu’s very existence. As a small island developing state, Tuvalu faces being submerged due to rising sea levels, coastal erosion and increasingly frequent natural disasters. Made up of nine tiny islands, two of which are close to being submerged due to rising water levels and coastal erosion.

National Response

Climate change has been identified by the Government of Tuvalu and the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders as the greatest threat facing this and other small island countries. Communities in Tuvalu are battling climate change on multiple fronts, such as coastal erosion, soil salinization, reduced fish habitats due to ocean acidification, coral bleaching, rising sea water levels and increasing extreme climate events like typhoons and wave surges.

LoCAL Scoping Mission (2015)

LoCAL Scoping Mission (2015)

LoCAL Scoping Mission (2015)

LoCAL Scoping Mission (2015)

LoCAL Scoping Mission (2015)

LOCAL IN TUVALU

Brief:

Tuvalu is the first country to implement LoCAL in the Pacific. LoCAL has entered a strategic partnership with the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) for implementation of capacity development and technical support to national and local governments. Given the context of climate vulnerabilities and risks in Tuvalu and the Pacific region in general, LoCAL-Tuvalu addresses climate change adaptation and resilience measures, climate-related disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness measures.

The initiative will support LoCAL-Tuvalu scale-up to all nine islands over a four-year period, with a focus on those islands more vulnerable to climate change and exposed to climate-related risks. Parallel resource mobilization efforts were also undertaken in 2020 with the drafting of a multi- country GCF Concept Note in partnership with the Pacific Community, with Tuvalu one of four small island developing states pursuing access to international climate finance to consolidate/ scale up LoCAL.

3 Kaupules engaged

8 Adaptation investments

1,642 Direct Beneficiaries

Budget: US$ 735,344 (2014-2020)

Action on Climate Change:

The viability of subsistence-based livelihoods in Tuvalu is likely to be undermined significantly due to climate change. Consequently, the first and second cycles of PBCRG investments focused on two critical axes: water and sanitation, and disaster prevention and preparedness.
■ The key vulnerabilities and risks related to water are increased variability and decreased predictability of rainfall and safe water availability. To this end, six water catchment and harvesting systems were completed in the three kaupules.
■ Tuvalu is also dangerously exposed to extreme climate events such as storms and cyclones. Two cyclone shelters were constructed in two kaupules which will provide protection for more than 800 inhabitants.
■ The third PBCRG cycle is currently under implementation.

PROGRAMME DETAILS

Objectives

The aim of LoCAL-Tuvalu is to improve the capacities of local governments to address climate change by increasing access to climate change adaptation financing through performance based climate-resilience grants (PBCRGs). The expected outputs are as follows:

  • Output 1: Effective PBCRG system (finance mechanism) is established in Tuvalu and operational for additional funding
  • Output 2: Inclusive, effective and accountable climate change mainstreamed planning and budgeting processes at the kaupule level
  • Output 3: Climate change–resilient investments (services and infrastructure) are managed efficiently and effectively, and transparently implemented by the participating kaupules through the PBCRG system
  • Output 4: Monitoring and evaluation system, and lessons learned to inform national policies, informed through experiences with the launch of LoCAL and the integration of climate change in all steps of the local public financial management process and improvements of public financial management
  • Output 5: Completed roll-out plans and capacity-building support for new kaupules by end of programme

Achievements

  • Tuvalu is the first country to implement LoCAL in the Pacific. A memorandum of understanding was signed between LoCAL and Tuvalu in December 2015. Subsequently, the LoCAL mechanism was adopted rapidly in Tuvalu and various strategic missions were held to prepare for implementation, which commenced in 2016.

  • Through a participatory and inclusive process, a climate vulnerability and risk scan was undertaken for the first batch of climate adaptation and risk reduction investment activities to inform the requirements of the LoCAL planning process. The initial investment activities were successfully implemented by the three pilot falekaupules (local governments) under the first tranche of the PBCRG for FY 2016/17 and the 2nd tranche for FY 2017/18.

  • The second annual performance assessment (APA) of the kaupules/falekaupules under the LoCAL programme was successfully completed in May 2017. The APA reviewed compliance on the part of the pilot kaupules with the minimum conditions for access to grants for the FY 2017/18. The APA report was reviewed by the LoCAL Facility and subsequently approved by the Kaupule Development Coordinating Committee, and signed by the secretary and consented to by the minister. The APA found LoCAL has good traction in the initial three LoCAL programme pilot local government authorities.

  • Upon approval of the APA report and its recommendations, UNCDF released the 2nd tranche of the PBCRG to Tuvalu for allocation as per the determined formula so the kaupules can implement their FY 2017/18 activities.

  • The third APA verified that all three participating kaupules – Nukulaelae, Nukufetau and Namumea – have met the minimum conditions, and were thus qualified to receive the next PBCRG cycle. The assessment also noted that the performance of LoCAL kaupules had improved significantly, particularly in planning and budgeting, financial management and climate resilience investments, with an average 83 per cent improvement on performance measures noted from 2016 to 2018. Following compliance with minimum conditions, a third cycle of PBCRG was channelled to the pilot kaupules in 2020.

  • A concept note for scaling up the LoCAL mechanism was prepared jointly with the Government of Tuvalu in 2019. The objective is to increase the resilience of island communities across the country through predictable, systemic and verifiable climate finance in support of local climate responses, through increased kaupule access to climate finance to implement climate change adaptation investments in Tuvalu (outcome 1) and institutionalizing a standard and internationally recognized country-based mechanism of PBCRGs in Tuvalu, further attracting domestic and international climate finance (outcome 2). The initiative will support LoCAL-Tuvalu scale-up to all nine islands over a four-year period, with a focus on those islands more vulnerable to climate change and exposed to climate-related risks. Parallel resource mobilization efforts were also undertaken in 2020 with the drafting of a multi- country GCF Concept Note in partnership with the Pacific Community, with Tuvalu one of four small island developing states pursuing access to international climate finance to consolidate/ scale up LoCAL.

Way Forward

  • LoCAL will assist kaupules in the implementation of the third cycle of PBCRGs and of the recommendations arising from the third annual performance assessment that was completed in June 2018.

  • LoCAL will support efforts for Phase II deployment with planning and preparation of interventions for up-scaling with expected coverage of all local governments, or at least an additional two or three authorities.

  • LoCAL will continue to support Tuvalu in mobilizing additional finance for scale-up, including through the development and submission of concept notes to funds and development partners, including the European Union, the Green Climate Fund and New Zealand.
    more information

Stories from the Field

STAY CONNECTED

Join the LoCAL Network

Visit our site sections

Get LoCAL news in your mailbox


THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS

Contact us:

Related Content

Sort by: