The GEF Ridge to Reef Program
The GEF Pacific Ridge to Reef (R2R) Programme was developed to guide the strategic investment of GEF grant and national funding in actions aimed at achieving the sustainable development of Pacific SIDS within a truly integrated environmental and natural resource management framework.
A GEF Multi-Focal Area Approach
Initiatives of the R2R programme aim to deliver tangible and quantifiable global environmental benefits by focusing on a more cross-cutting approach to water, land and coastal management that captures the complementarities among the following GEF focal areas.
A Multi-GEF Agency Approach
The GEF Pacific Ridge to Reef Programme is a multi-agency initiative involving the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as GEF implementing agencies. Coordination support is provided by the Pacific Community (SPC), a regional intergovernmental organisation that works with Pacific Nations across a wide range of areas relevant to programme implementation, including water resource management, geoscience for development, public health, forestry, fisheries, disaster management, youth, gender and culture.
R2R Programme Goal and Components
The goal of the GEF R2R 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 management that contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience". Programme activities are organised under the following components:
- National Multi-Focal Area Ridge to Reef Demonstrations in all Pacific Island Countries.
- Improved Governance for Integrated, Climate Resilient Land, Water, Forest and Coastal Management.
- Regional and National/Local Ridge to Reef Indicators, Monitoring and Evaluation and Knowledge Management.
- Regional Programme Coordination.
GEF International Waters R2R Project
The operation of the R2R programme is supported in areas of science-based planning, human capital development, policy and strategic planning, results-based management, and knowledge sharing through the International Waters R2R project which is executed regionally by the Pacific Community. R2R pilot projects, to be implemented through the R2R IW project, are designed to strengthen R2R integration by establishing synergies among the work of the various sector agencies between governments and communities, civil society and the private sector.
Vanuatu International Waters R2R Project
The Vanuatu IW R2R Project is part of this GEF IW R2R Project with the objectives of strengthening the current Tagabe River Management Committee (TRMC) which manages the affairs of the Tagabe river, rehabilitate the degraded areas within the Tagabe river protected zones and establishing working collaborations with communities that live along and depend on the Tagabe river and other stakeholders including the civil society and private sector.