Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project
| Abbreviation | TCAP |
|---|---|
| Formation | 30 July 2017 |
| Type | Public works |
| Purpose | Building capacity to meet challenges of climate change and sea-level rise affecting the islands of Tuvalu |
| Headquarters | Partnership House, Vaiaku, Funafuti, Tuvalu |
| Coordinates | 08°31′16″S 179°11′54″E / 8.52111°S 179.19833°E |
National Designated Authority | Honorable Minister of Finance Panapasi Nelesoni |
National Project Manager | Alan Puga Resture |
Main organ | Board |
| Affiliations | Green Climate Fund UNDP Pacific Community (SPC) |
| Website | tcap |
The Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP) was launched in 2017 to meet the challenges to Tuvalu resulting from climate change and sea-level rise affecting the islands of Tuvalu.[1] Tuvalu was the first country in the Pacific to access climate finance from Green Climate Fund, with the support of the UNDP.[1][2]
The day-to-day activities of TCAP are managed by a team located within Tuvalu’s Climate Change and Policy Unit, with TCAP’s Project Management Unit reporting to the Project Board.[3] TCAP is intended to run for 7 years. Projects that are part of TCAP are works on Funafuti to provide a platform above the level of storm surges, and projects on the outer islands of Nanumea and Nanumaga that aimed at reducing exposure to coastal erosion by providing a buffer during storms.[1]
TCAP is also intended to build the capacity of the national government on Funafuti and island local communities to adapt to climate change.[4]
Project Funding[edit]
US$36 million was provided by the Green Climate Fund[5] and US$2.9 million co-financing from the Government of Tuvalu.[4] The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) also provided funding for the TCAP of AU$2 million to TCAP, to assist in covering additional costs related to COVID-19.[1]
On 10 November 2023, Tuvalu signed the Falepili Union, a bilateral diplomatic relationship with Australia, under which Australia will increase its contribution to TCAP and the Tuvalu Trust Fund.[6][7][8] Australia will also provide an pathway for citizens of Tuvalu to migrate to Australia, to enable climate-related mobility for Tuvaluans.[7]
Nanumaga[edit]
The implementation of the TCAP on Nanumaga is a plan to build berm top barriers on the crest of the main natural storm berm that runs parallel to the foreshore area of the main village on the western coast of Nanumaga.[9]
The berm top barriers will consist of 665 metres (2,182 ft) of buried geotextile mega containers, each approximately 20 metres (66 ft) long, which will raise the height of the storm berm by around 1.5 metres (4.9 ft).[10]
Nanumea[edit]
The implementation of the TCAP on Nanumea, is a proposal to protect approximately 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) of high value shoreline with berm top barriers along the crest of the main natural storm berm. For approximately 160 metres (520 ft) of coastline in front of the church, following consultation with the Falekaupule, it is proposed to reinstate the former shore by constructing a new seawall made from precast concrete interlocking Seabee units, which are concrete hexagonal blocks with a hollow core,[11] where there are the remnants of existing but crumbling hard coastal protection measures.[9]
Funafuti reclamation[edit]
The implementation of the TCAP on Funafuti is proposed to be a land reclamation project, which will start from the northern boundary of the Queen Elizabeth Park (QEP) reclamation area and extend to the northern Tausoa Beach Groyne and the development of the Catalina Ramp Harbour.[12]
In December 2022, work on the Funafuti reclamation project commenced. The project is to dredge sand from the lagoon to construct a platform on Fongafale, Funafuti that is 780 metres (2,560 ft) meters long and 100 metres (330 ft) meters wide, giving a total area of approximately 7.8 ha. (19.27 acres), which is designed to remain above sea level rise and the reach of storm waves beyond the year 2100.[1]
Coastal hazard online modelling platform[edit]
The Pacific Community (SPC) collaborated with TCAP to create an online platform that provides Tuvalu with the ability to identify, plan for, and reduce risks associated with sea level rise and more frequent intense storms driven by climate change.[13] The online platform covers all nine of Tuvalu’s atolls and islands. It allows the government, and local communities to make informed development decisions in relation to where to build on the islands of Tuvalu.[13] It includes coastal inundation modelling due to sea level rise and storm waves, shoreline change detection and monitoring, damage and loss, and tools to identify marine hazards exposure.[13]
Topographic and Bathymetric Survey[edit]
In May 2019, TCAP signed an agreement with Fugro, for it to carry out an airborne LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey across the nine islands of Tuvalu.[14] LIDAR is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser that will produce high quality mapping of the reef and lagoon bathymetry (sea floor mapping to 50-meter depths) and accurate topography (land elevation data).[14] This aerial survey will provide high quality baseline data to assess the relationship between water levels and wave dynamics and their impact on the islands of Tuvalu.[14] The survey will also provide baseline data for shoreline monitoring, coastal vulnerability assessment and planning.[14]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Bouadze, Levan (6 December 2022). "Groundbreaking ceremony in Funafuti for Tuvalu's coastal adaptation". UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project". UNDP. 16 Aug 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Meet the team behind the implementation of TCAP". Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project. November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Keynote remarks by Resident Representative for UNDP Pacific at groundbreaking ceremony in Funafuti". TCAP.tv. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "FP015 Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP)". Green Climate Fund. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty". Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Joint Statement on the Falepili Union between Tuvalu and Australia". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
- ^ Daniel Hurst and Josh Butler. "Australia to offer residency to Tuvalu citizens displaced by climate change". The Guardian Australia. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ a b FCG ANZDEC Ltd (7 August 2020). Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment - Nanumaga and Nanumea (Report). The Pacific Community. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ bluecoast consulting engineers (12 March 2021). Nanumaga Detailed Design Report - Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (PDF) (Report). UNDP. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ bluecoast consulting engineers (19 March 2021). Nanumea Detailed Design Report - Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (PDF) (Report). UNDP. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ FCG ANZDEC Ltd (7 October 2020). Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment - Funafuti (Report). The Pacific Community. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ a b c "Tuvalu launches world-class coastal hazard modelling tool in the face of growing climate impacts". reliefweb. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Advanced Topographic and Bathymetric Survey to Support Tuvalu's Adaptation Efforts". UNDP. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2023.