The International Waters of the Pacific

The International Waters Project of the Pacific Islands (IWP) is a seven-year (2001-2006), $US8.5 million project, involving 14 Pacific Island countries.

The objective of the project is to strengthen management of coastal resources in the areas of:
 

•  waste;

•  freshwater and;

•  coastal fisheries.

The IWP uses a two-pronged approach to try and improve the management of coastal resources at both the community and the national levels. The project is working countries to:

•  Understand the social, cultural, and economic factors that govern resource use

•  Encourage greater community participation in decision-making

•  Develop low-cost solutions at the community level

•  Strengthen resource management capacity at the national level

The IWP ultimately seeks to address the root causes of environmental degradation and the project places special emphasis on understanding the social, cultural, and economic factors that govern resource use at the community level.

At the community level the focus is to promote increased involvement and responsibility for local resource management initiatives. The IWP recognises that people are an integral part of most ecosystems and that the participation of key stakeholders in decision-making is essential at all stages of project activities if sustainable resource management is to be achieved.

The IWP also recognises the need to develop a range of tools to engage stakeholders and support behaviour change at the national and regional levels. These tools include: legislation, economic instruments, enforcement, infrastructure, public services, and education programmes.

In each country a National Coordinator has been appointed within a lead Government agency to manage the project. In most cases this is the national Environment Department or Agency.

A National Task Force consisting of key stakeholders from government, non-government agencies, and the local community, has been appointed to support the National Coordinator. This Task Force is responsible for using the lessons provided by the community-based activities to improve the management of resources at the national level.

The IWP is managed by a Project Coordination Unit (PCU) based at the headquarters of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in Apia, Samoa. The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

How is SPREP implementing the International Waters Project?

IWP is working with these pilot communities to try and understand the root causes of resource management problems and to identify possible low cost solutions that can help countries improve resource management at the national level.

The Pacific Islands region is spread over an area of 38 million square kilometres - almost one sixth of the earth’s surface and three times larger than either the USA or China. More than 98 per cent of this area consists of ocean, with the remaining 2 per cent made up of around 200 high islands and 2,500 low islands or atolls. Only 500 of these islands are inhabited.

Although the region is home to just 8 million people, just 0.1 per cent of the world’s population, it is a place of incredible cultural and geographic diversity. For example the region includes one third of the world’s languages, with over 800 spoken in Papua New Guinea alone.

The IWP Approach

Three out of four Pacific Islanders live in rural areas and many people still depend on coastal resources for both food and economic opportunities.

The IWP recognises that community participation is essential if sustainable resource management is to be achieved. The project also recognises the need to promote more environmentally friendly behaviours through a range of tools including: legislation, economic incentives, infrastructure, public services, and social marketing.

The IWP is working with communities and national governments to:

• Understand and address the root causes of environmental problems
• Collect baseline information on the key social, economic, and environmental factors governing resource use
• Encourage greater community participation in resource management

• Identify low cost solutions
• Strengthen resource management at the national level

IWP – Key Management Tools

• Community Participation
• Resource Economics
• Strategic Communications
• Monitoring & Evaluation
• Institutional Strengthening

Working together

In each country a National Coordinator has been appointed within a lead Government agency to manage the project. A National Task Force consisting of key stakeholders from government, non-government agencies, and the local community, has been appointed to support the National Coordinator. This Task Force is responsible for using the lessons provided by the community-based activities to improve the management of resouces at the National level.

Who are IWP's partners?

The IWP is funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and co-managed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This seven-year, US$8.5 million, project is scheduled for completion in December 2006.

COASTAL FISHERIES

• Federated States of Micronesia

  A Niuean gleaner uses an axe to collect tube worms from the reef

The village of Riiken in the municipality of Gagil

• Solomon Islands

The villages of Chea and Mbili Passage in Marovo Lagoon

• Vanuatu

The community of Crab Bay in Malekula Island

• Niue

The Project is helping the communities of Alofi North and Makefu work together with the Government to improve the management of coastal fisheries. The Niue IWP is looking at a range of options such as strengthening existing marine protected areas.

WASTE REDUCTION

• Fiji

The village of Vunisinu in Viti Levu

• Kingdom of Tonga

  Children making the most of a wrecked car in South Tarawa

The village of Nukuhetulu in Tongatapu

• Papua New Guinea

The village of Barakau

• Republic of the Marshall Islands

The village of Jenrok in Majuro Atoll

 

• Kiribati

The Kiribati community of Bikenibeu West has 205 households

but only 64 have access to an adequate sewage or solid waste

collection system. The IWP is assisting the community implement

low-cost alternatives to manage their solid and liquid waste.

• Republic of Nauru

The Community of Buada

• Republic of Palau

The village of Chollei in the district of Ngarchelong, Babeldaob

• Tuvalu

The villages of Alapi and Senala in Funafuti

FRESHWATER PROTECTION

• A boy drinks from an unfiltered tap that is sourced by the Takuvaine water intake in the Cook Islands

  
  Cook Islands

The Takuvaine Valley watershed is the main source of water for urban Rarotonga but in recent years it has become increasingly threatened by pollution. The Cook Islands IWP is working together with the Takuvaine community to develop a plan for managing this vital water catchment.

• Samoa

The village of Lepa and Apolima Island.

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