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The briefing warns that Pacific SIDS are facing a convergence of geopolitical and climatic crises. The war in Iran is driving up fuel and food prices due to shipping disruptions and import dependence, leading to states of emergency in Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands. This economic strain is expected to be compounded by a strong El Niño in the second half of 2026, which threatens tuna stocks, freshwater access, and agricultural productivity. The document recommends immediate anticipatory action, such as pre-positioning supplies and expanding early warning systems, alongside long-term investments in regenerative agriculture and regional fisheries management.

The report analyzes how 16 reporting jurisdictions and several others in development operationalize OECMs through five primary pathways: ministerial instruments, national guidelines, administrative procedures, sector-based recognition, and mechanisms for areas beyond national jurisdiction. It finds a strong global convergence toward the terminology and criteria of CBD Decision 14/8, while noting that most countries prefer non-legislative policy tools over new laws to achieve conservation outcomes.

The project seeks USD 39,982,375 in GCF grants to enhance the climate resilience of the Cook Islands' building stock, specifically targeting Category 3 tropical cyclone compliance. It employs a programmatic approach through an EDA Facility that provides tiered financing—ranging from 100% grants for the most vulnerable to partially reimbursable grants for businesses—to upgrade approximately 50% of non-compliant dwellings. The initiative includes capacity building for tradespeople and inspectors, the installation of community and household water tanks, and the upgrade of septic systems to protect coral reef ecosystems. Implementation is led by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM), Climate Change Cook Islands (CCCI), and the Bank of the Cook Islands (BCI).

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) reports a portfolio of USD 19.3 billion and USD 59.3 billion in co-financing over its first ten years, reaching 249 million people through adaptation projects. The Fund is pursuing a '50by30' vision to manage a USD 50 billion portfolio by 2030, with a programming target of USD 8-9 billion in 2030. Key achievements include reducing 95.9 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent and restoring 33.2 million hectares of ecosystems. The report highlights ten case studies across various sectors, including wind energy in Djibouti, coastal protection in Tuvalu, and climate-smart agriculture in the Aral Sea Basin, emphasizing a shift toward systemic, locally-led transformation.

The Regional Tuna Programme (RTP) addresses two primary climate threats in the Pacific: the loss of coral reef fish as a protein source and the eastward shift of tuna biomass away from national exclusive economic zones (EEZs). The programme will deploy 333 anchored Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) to help coastal communities catch tuna, improve the distribution of industrial tuna bycatch to urban areas, and develop an Advanced Warning System (AWS) to provide high-resolution forecasts of tuna redistribution. This AWS is intended to serve as an economic planning tool to help tuna-dependent nations negotiate the retention of fishing license revenues. The project targets 790,000 direct beneficiaries and 2.5 million indirect beneficiaries across 14 participating countries.

The Gender Action Plan (GAP) for the "Adapting Tuna-dependent Pacific Island Communities and Economies to Climate Change" programme aims to ensure women and men benefit equitably from climate adaptation efforts in 14 Pacific Island Countries. The plan focuses on increasing women's capacity in post-harvest tuna processing and marketing, raising awareness of gender roles in coastal fisheries, and enhancing women's leadership in decision-making. Key activities include gender-responsive training for FAD fishers, improving hygienic working conditions for fish sellers, and integrating gender considerations into national disaster response and high-level negotiation training. The programme is managed by the Pacific Community (SPC) and Conservation International (CI), with dedicated Gender & Environmental and Social Safeguards (GESI) officers overseeing implementation and monitoring through sex-disaggregated data.

The report assesses gender dynamics in the Pacific fisheries sector, noting that while fishing is viewed as a male domain, women play critical but often invisible roles in post-harvest processing and marketing. It identifies risks such as the potential for FAD investments to overlook women's needs and the high prevalence of gender-based violence in the region. The document proposes regional objectives to increase recognition of women's roles, improve working conditions for fish sellers, and provide training in tuna processing. It includes detailed gender profiles for participating nations, highlighting specific bottlenecks like limited women's representation in decision-making and the impact of climate change on coastal resources.

The document defines ring-fencing as a limitation on the consolidation of income and deductions across different projects or activities for tax purposes. It argues that while ring-fencing can discourage investment in marginal ore bodies and increase compliance costs, it is essential for capturing economic rents, preventing permanent revenue loss from unsuccessful exploration, and mitigating BEPS practices. The guide recommends ring-fencing by mining licence area and suggests that profit-based taxes like Resource Rent Tax (RRT) and Additional Profit Tax (APT) must be ring-fenced to be effective. It also provides technical recommendations on apportioning indirect and general expenditures, suggesting that capital expenditure (CapEx) is a more effective allocation key than production volumes to avoid tax deferral.

The document examines the use of ring-fencing—the limitation of consolidating income and deductions across different mining projects or activities—as a tool for governments to ensure timely tax collection and protect the tax base. It analyzes the trade-offs between accelerating state revenue and potentially disincentivizing investment, particularly in marginal deposits. The guide provides detailed design options, such as ring-fencing by mining license area, activity type (upstream vs. downstream), or specific project, and offers recommendations on allocating indirect costs and managing transfer pricing risks. It also discusses exceptions for unsuccessful exploration costs to balance revenue goals with the need to attract exploration investment.

The document examines 'ring-fencing'—the practice of limiting the consolidation of revenues and deductions for different activities or projects undertaken by the same taxpayer—as a tool for governments to protect the mining tax base. It analyzes the trade-offs between accelerating public revenue and potentially discouraging investment, particularly in marginal deposits. The guide details various design options, such as ring-fencing by mining license area, activity (upstream vs. downstream), or separating mining from non-mining activities. It also provides practical recommendations on allocating indirect and general expenses, managing national transfer pricing risks, and handling permanent losses from unsuccessful exploration to balance revenue needs with investment incentives.

The GCF Secretariat report details progress on its 2024 work programme, highlighting a new organizational structure launched on 9 September 2024 to improve investment efficiency and country ownership. Key achievements include the approval of 28 funding proposals for USD 1.5 billion and the operationalization of the 2024–2027 Readiness Strategy. The Secretariat is implementing the "Efficient GCF" initiative to reduce project review times and is developing a revised accreditation framework to simplify access. While programming targets are on track, challenges persist in private sector pipeline development and the procurement of no-objection letters.

The ATOM project seeks USD 12.5 million from the Green Climate Fund to enhance the Cook Islands' health system resilience against climate-sensitive health risks (CSHRs). The initiative focuses on three components: strengthening institutional capacity to integrate climate data into health operations, retrofitting health facilities in the Pa Enua for cyclone and water security, and implementing community outreach and food security programs. The project targets 15,040 direct beneficiaries and aims to reduce the climate-induced health burden, which is estimated to cost the country USD 3.7 million annually.

The Gender Action Plan (GAP) for the Cook Islands' health system aims to integrate gender-sensitive strategies into climate change and health (CC&H) operations. The plan focuses on strengthening the capacity of Te Marae Ora (TMO) and partners to address the unique needs of women, the Anuanua community, elderly, disabled, and children. Key activities include updating health policies to reflect CEDAW commitments, implementing gender-disaggregated data collection in health intelligence, and ensuring inclusive technical designs for health facilities in the Pa Enua. The plan also includes educational programs for students on mental health adaptive capacity and community outreach via vaka voyages to promote food security and healthy diets, with specific targets for female participation and the inclusion of vulnerable groups.

The document outlines a 36-month Readiness and Preparatory Support project for Tuvalu, managed by the Ministry of Finance. It aims to address critical gaps in human, technical, and institutional capacity that have limited the country's success in accessing Green Climate Fund (GCF) financing. Key initiatives include establishing a dedicated climate finance Program Management Unit (PMU), training 100 stakeholders, supporting the accreditation of a private sector direct access entity, and developing a private sector investment roadmap. The project also intends to advance the project pipeline by developing at least two bankable concept notes and conducting pre-feasibility studies for priority sectors such as water security, agriculture, and energy.

The briefing analyzes the communique from the 52nd Pacific Island Forum Leaders’ Meeting, noting the historic mention of a "Fossil Fuel Free Pacific" while criticizing qualifiers that weaken the commitment. It highlights the use of terms like "aspire" and "in our energy systems" as loopholes that allow countries, particularly Australia and New Zealand, to avoid committing to a phase-out of fossil fuel production. The document also criticizes Australia for using climate resilience funding and resettlement offers for Tuvalu to mask its continued support for fossil fuel companies and its pursuit of carbon dioxide dumping legislation.

The GCF's second formal replenishment (GCF-2) resulted in total pledges of USD 9.322 billion from 25 contributors. A High-Level Pledging Conference held in Bonn, Germany, on 5 October 2023, served as the primary venue for these announcements. The process saw 72% of contributors increase their pledges relative to the first replenishment (GCF-1), with some countries doubling their contributions. The GCF's commitment authority for GCF-2 became effective during the conference after Austria, Germany, and Monaco signed contribution agreements, surpassing the required 25% effectiveness threshold.

The document defines seafood jurisdictional initiatives (JIs) as place-based efforts combining policy and market-based approaches to achieve holistic sustainability. It argues that traditional certification, ratings, and improvement (CRI) efforts are insufficient for global scale and systemic issues. The handbook outlines a three-step implementation process: scoping, co-designing, and co-implementing, emphasizing the necessity of government leadership, multistakeholder collaboration, and long-term blended finance.

The document outlines the concept of seafood Jurisdictional Initiatives (JIs) as place-based, multistakeholder efforts that combine policy reform and market-based incentives to address systemic sustainability challenges. It contrasts JIs with traditional certification, ratings, and improvement (CRI) projects, arguing that JIs are better suited for tackling cumulative impacts, climate resilience, and social equity across entire production geographies. The guide details a three-step implementation process—scoping, co-designing, and co-implementing—and emphasizes the critical roles of government leadership, private-sector engagement, and the inclusion of Indigenous peoples and local communities. It also provides guidance on establishing monitoring, reporting, and verification frameworks to ensure the credibility of sustainability claims.

The document details the re-accreditation reviews for three international entities: the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). All three entities are recommended for re-accreditation without conditions. ADB and EBRD are recommended for 'large' project sizes and 'high risk' (Category A/I-1) environmental and social (E&S) risk categories. UNEP is recommended for an upgrade to 'medium' project size and maintains a 'medium risk' (Category B/I-2) E&S category. The assessments cover fiduciary standards, E&S safeguards, gender policies, and the entities' overall climate portfolios, noting that all three have aligned their strategies with the Paris Agreement and GCF's 2020–2023 Strategic Plan.

The Pacific Islands Renewable Energy Investment Program, funded with USD 17 million in GCF grants, aims to transition seven Pacific SIDS—the Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga—away from diesel power. Component 1 focused on installing Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the Cook Islands to improve grid stability and load shifting, while Component 2 provided technical assistance for sector reform and capacity building across all target countries. The evaluation finds that while BESS installation has progressed, the lack of timely procurement for solar independent power producers (IPPs) has left some storage capacity idle. Component 2's effectiveness was significantly hampered by COVID-19 travel restrictions, though progress was made in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. The report highlights the need to synchronize BESS and solar procurement and suggests a 'portfolio approach' to regional utility reform to diversify risk.