Tuvalu is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change due to its topography, size, geographical remoteness and access to resources. Despite these challenges, it has become a leading voice for enhanced climate mitigation regionally and globally. Tuvalu is now developing a national adaptation planning process (and NAP) that will form a sustainable platform for future adaptation investments. This request for funding will target the following outcomes:

• Enhanced capacity to deliver effective climate change adaptation planning through a strengthened institutional set-up (Outcome 1)
• Adaptation planning and governance and institutional coordination strengthened (Outcome 2)
• Evidence produced to design adaptation solutions for maximum impact (Outcome 3)
• National adaptation plan developed and endorsed (Outcome 4)
• Development of a Climate Change Adaptation financing strategy for mid and long-term CCA (Outcome 5)

These outcomes are interlinked and mutually reinforcing; this is reflected in the design and sequencing of activities which will help achieve them. For example, the identification and appraisal of adaptation options provide a sufficiently detailed basis for future climate finance.

Our approach is underpinned by a recognition that adaptation will only be successful where it is developed with and by communities. As a result, effective, gender sensitive stakeholder engagement lies at the heart of this proposal, including involvement of NGOs (working closely with the Tuvalu Association of Non-Government Organizations (TANGO)) and the private sector. Emphasis will also be placed on young people whose future will be greatly impacted by the changes Tuvalu will now inevitably experience.

This project will address the following barriers and gaps which currently inhibit effective adaptation planning and action in Tuvalu:

• Limited institutional capacity and the lack of an adequate coordination mechanism for CCA planning and action
• Limited coordination of climate risk and climate vulnerability information and no tools to support risk assessment within key sectors
• Low awareness of climate change and climate change adaptation response options at the community level
• Adaptation planning, vulnerability and risk assessment and climate finance priorities not linked in a coherent manner
• Limited capacity to appraise adaptation options that address identified risks and vulnerabilities

The Government of Tuvalu is making a single application for funds rather than a phased approach; however, we have built in mechanisms (e.g. a mid-term review of project progress) to ensure we account for the iterative nature of climate change adaptation planning. A full justification of this decision can be found in Annex 3.