| Overview : In accordance with UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures, all full- and medium-sized UNDP-supported GEF-financed projects are required to undergo a Terminal Evaluation (TE) at the end of the project. This Terms of Reference (ToR) sets out the expectations for the TE of the full -sized project titled Ridge to Reef - Testing the Integration of Water, Land, Forest & Coastal Management to Preserve Ecosystem Services, Store Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods. It is commonly referred to as the Regional Ridge to Reef (R2R) project. The TE process must follow the guidance outlined in the document ‘Guidance For Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects’ To support the ongoing development of ‘Ridge to Reef’ and ‘Community to Cabinet’ approaches in Pacific PICS through the abovementioned multi-focal area R2R program, the GEF Council approved the development of an International Waters project entitled “Ridge to Reef: Testing the Integration of Water, Land, Forest and Coastal Management to Preserve Ecosystem Services, Store Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods in Pacific Island Countries”. This regional project was implemented by the United Nations Development Program through the Applied Geoscience and Technology Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in partnership with the 14 Pacific Island Countries to improve the integration of water, land, forest, and coastal management required to fashion sustainable futures for island communities. The project aimed to address the recent high-level recognition and calls for results-based approaches to the management of development assistance programmes and projects, with support provided in areas of coordination, capacity building, technical assistance, and monitoring and evaluation for the operation of the broader Pacific R2R program. Importantly, the project was built on nascent national processes from the previous GEF IWRM project to foster sustainability and resilience for each participating island nation through reforms in policy, institutions, and coordination; building capacity of local institutions to integrate land, water and coastal management; establishing evidence-based approaches to ICM planning; and improved consolidation of information and data required to inform cross-sector R2R planning approaches. These processes are being sustained. It is envisaged that this project focused much attention on harnessing support of traditional community leadership and governance structures with improving the relevance of investment in integrated land, water, forest, and coastal management. This project also provided coordination functions and linkages with the national GEF STAR multifocal projects and LDCF project and facilitated dialogue and action planning through national Inter-Ministry Committees on responses to emerging issues and threats in environment and natural resource management. Similarly, it will facilitate coordinated exchanges of experience and results of the GEF portfolio of investments in a broader regional R2R programme for PICs. Linkages with co-financed activities on water resource and wastewater management, coastal systems and climate adaptation and disaster risk management will ensure more targeted capital investment in coastal infrastructure within an integrated management framework. Similarly, the project had fostered solidarity among the PICs, particularly with respect to the political will required in supporting more integrated approaches to R2R in natural resource management. The purpose of the project was to test the mainstreaming of ‘ridge-to-reef’ (R2R), climate resilient approaches to integrated land, water, forest, and coastal management in the PICs through strategic planning, capacity building and piloted local actions to sustain livelihoods and preserve ecosystem services. This regional project provided the primary coordination vehicle for the national R2R STAR Projects that are part of the Pacific R2R Program, by building on nascent national processes from the previous GEF IWRM project to foster sustainability and resilience for each island through: reforms in policy, institutions, and coordination; building capacity of local institutions to integrate land, water and coastal management through on-site demonstrations; establishing evidence-based approaches to ICM planning; improved consolidation of results monitoring and information and data required to inform cross-sector R2R planning approaches. This project will also focus attention on harnessing support of traditional community leadership and governance structures to improve the relevance of investment in ICM, including MPAs, from ‘community to cabinet’. To achieve its objective, the project focusses on five components: - Component 1. National Demonstrations to Support R2R ICM/IWRM Approaches for Island Resilience and Sustainability
- Component 2. Island-based Investments in Human Capital and Knowledge to Strengthen National and Local Capacities for Ridge to Reef ICM/IWRM approaches, incorporating CC adaptation
- Component 3. Mainstreaming of Ridge to Reef ICM/IWRM Approaches into National Development Frameworks
- Component 4. Regional and National ‘Ridge to Reef’ Indicators for Reporting, Monitoring, Adaptive Management and Knowledge Management
- Component 5. Ridge-to-Reef Regional and National Coordination
Fourteen countries participate in the Regional R2R project. They include the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Through this project there are regionally implemented activities as well demonstration activities in each country which are led by respective national executing agencies. The Regional R2R (PIMS #5221) is implemented through the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). A mid Term Review was conducted in March 2019. A first extension was granted until September 1, 2021 and recently, a second extension until March 1, 2022. The project started on the 1 September 2015 and is in its 6th year of implementation. Through a grant of Global Environment Facility (GEF) of USD 10,317,454, the project was initially implemented over a period of 5 years. The total co-financing commitment from partners amounting to USD87,708,160. Since the global Covid-19 pandemic has escalated into a global humanitarian and socio-economic crisis in the first quarter of 2020, the Pacific region was amongst those affected and currently national governments of the 14 participating countries have travel restrictions ongoing as a necessary measure to mitigate the spread of the virus. Both international and local travels are limited to only necessary travel and those entering the country must have in possession a Quarantine Certificate and a mandatory negative COVID-19 test result. Travelers entering countries are expected to undergo a 14-day quarantine period (in isolation) before they are allowed to move freely. In 2020, there were lockdown periods, with national government priorities focused on a Corvid 19 response strategic plans. Covid-19 severely affected the project implementation from 2020 until to-date. |
