The SOE report and the Tuvalu NEMS to contribute broader goals for environment sustainability, sustainable natural resources management, and building resilience to climate change in Tuvalu
The Government of Tuvalu launched their State of Environment (SOE) Report 2022 and the National Environmental Management Strategies (NEMS) 2022-2026 during the national Environmental Week held on 27 June 2022. Derived from the international World Environment Day theme of One World Only, the theme for the Environment Week is “Only One Tuvalu”.
The Tuvalu SOE Report 2022 contained quantitative environmental data and is structured around four thematic areas. They are: Environmental Governance; Coastal and Marine; Atmosphere and Climate; and Built Environment. It utilises 26 measurable environmental indicators to provide insights for sound environmental decision-making. The SOE report further highlights the key drivers and environmental pressures such as climate vulnerabilities, waste management and pollution.
Despite environmental pressures and challenges identified and highlighted in the report, significant efforts have been made by the Government of Tuvalu to address these issues. The SOE report reflects that almost half of the indicators assessed are improving in trends and levels of greenhouse emissions remain low. The protected areas are well managed, and a good national waste collection system is in place. The SOE report further highlights the successes of Tuvalu’s efforts in climate adaptation by the significant investments in renewable energy by solar power generation in Tuvalu.
The Tuvalu NEMS was endorsed by the Government in February 2022 and is essentially the country’s guiding policy to ensuring the protection and sound management of the environment. It ensures environmental activities and planning are relevant to national priorities and action plans developed by the Government of Tuvalu, and also signals a commitment by Tuvalu towards its signed Multilateral Environment Agreements.
“We are so thankful for the continuous support from SPREP assisting us in completing two important documents for the Department- The SOE report and the NEMS will be useful tools to guide our Department and key stakeholders in the role they play and to ensure that environmental data is readily available for policymakers and readers,” said Acting Director of Environment, Tilia Tima.
Key environmental issues and solutions identified in the SOE will further guide national environmental activities and inform key strategic documents such as the NEMS. In its capacity as the regional agency for the environment in the Pacific, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has supported Tuvalu with the development of the SOE 2022 to further enhance informed national decision-making.
SPREP Director-General, Sefanaia Nawadra commended the efforts of Tuvalu, saying, “We thank Acting Director Tilia Tima, and her team at the Department of Environment for leading and guiding the Secretariat through the development process of the SOE 2022 and the NEMS. We are confident that the Department of Environment and all relevant stakeholders will implement the recommendations in these reports and contribute to the broader goals for environment sustainability, sustainable natural resources management, and building resilience to climate change in Tuvalu”.
The SOE report and the Tuvalu NEMS were developed by the Government of Tuvalu through the collaboration of the Department of Environment and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. It was made possible with financial support of the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Environment Programme through the Inform Project and the UNEP coordinated programme for Capacity Building related to Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries (ACP MEAs) Project Phase 3.
This story was written by Christine Tuioti, originally published at SPREP on 01 July 2022, reposted via PACNEWS.
