About the Pacific R2R Programme
The GEF Pacific R2R Programme is a global test case aimed at achieving the sustainable development of Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS) within a truly integrated environmental and natural resource management framework. The goal of the programme is “to maintain and enhance Pacific Island countries’ ecosystem goods and services (provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural) through integrated approaches to land, water, forest, biodiversity and coastal resource management that contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience.” The Programme is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Pacific Community (SPC) was identified as a regional executing partner to lead programme coordination due to its success in managing regional initiatives of the GEF in the past as well as SPC’s existing capacities in a wide range of areas relevant to the programme.
The Fiji GEF 5 STAR R2R project under the Pacific R2R Programme works toward preserving biodiversity, ecosystem services, sequester carbon, improve climate resilience and sustain livelihoods through a ridge-to-reef management of priority water catchments on the two main islands of Fiji. Through mangrove protection, rehabilitation of forests, sustainable land-use practices mangrove protection, and riparian restoration in adjoining upstream watersheds, among other priorities, it aims to preserve biodiversity, ecosystem services, sequester carbon, improve climate resilience and sustain livelihoods.
For more information on the GEF-UNDP/SPC Pacific Ridge to Reef Project, please contact the Regional Coordinator, Samasoni Sauni (samasonis@spc.int), visit the project website and the project page on iwlearn.net.