Regional : Strengthening Coastal and Marine Resources Management in the Coral Triangle of the Pacific (Phase 1)

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Water-based natural resources management

Outcome:

Stage One: Project design of the ADB-GEF Coastal and Marine Resources Management in the Coral Triangle of the Pacific project, as agreed between the PDMCs, ADB and GEF.

Stage Two: Project implementation

The following activities will be carried out during program formulation:

Activity 1: Prepare environmental and socioeconomic profiles of participating countries. The profiles will be prepared to determine: (a) the environmental and socioeconomic characteristics of the countries and the coral triangle sub-region (b) common environmental issues and trends and the impact of socioeconomic activities on environmental degradation (c) gaps in information and data management systems/methods (including GIS mapping where it exists) (d) watershed conditions and their interface with marine and coastal habitats; (e) threats from land-based activities to coral reefs, near-shore habitats and associated fisheries (f) regional/national climate change impacts on coastal and marine resources (g) the issues, including above, that a strategy for strengthened coastal and marine resources management in the sub-region must address and activities that will best support (g) above.

Activity 2: Assess laws, regulation and policies and institutional capacities. The legislation and policy assessment will review national policies and strategies, regulations and laws. It will assess the relevance and appropriateness of these legislative and policy instruments to the major environmental issues and trends in the coral triangle sub-region as defined in activity 1, and the effectiveness with which the policies and regulations are being implemented and enforced. Gaps in legislation, regulations and policies will be identified and recommendations made. The planning and project management capacity of implementing government agencies (including national/provincial/local)- their mandate, budget, structure, administrative systems, number and skills of personnel, logistics, financial sustainability and support linkages- will be assessed, drawing on existing national capacity self-assessments where already undertaken. The results of the assessment will indicate capabilities and shortfalls and will be drawn upon for likely interventions under stage two (implementation) of the RETA.

Activity 3: Formulate a four-year program. The aim is to draw stakeholder inputs and support for the program, especially government but also communities, NGOs and private sector where appropriate. In consultation meetings, the stakeholders- led by the GEF Focal point and lead environment counterpart agency for the RETA and involving the whole-of-government coordination mechanism in each country- will validate the results of activities 1 and 2, identify the issues, define the sustainability indicators for the sub-region, and propose future courses of action. The consultations will result in the following: (a) list of priority actions (with designated priority as assessed by stakeholders, especially government) to be carried out at the country level and (b) coordination/info-sharing at the regional level, where appropriate.

Activity 4: Generate government support and forging partnerships for action. The proposed program will be submitted for review to the participating governments of the countries. Their representatives and ADB/ADB consultants will consult and agree on any needed revisions or adjustments in the program. The program will be circulated to the CTI Secretariat, bilateral and multilateral development partners/agencies, NGOs and private sector groups for their suggestions and participation in program design and implementation.

DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANTS FOR STAGE ONE

1.The consultants will ensure that all outputs under the regional technical assistance (RETA) comply with policies and guidelines of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

2.The consultant team will be responsible for submitting the following reports:

(i) an inception report, to be submitted at the end of the first month of TA implementation;

(ii) an interim report, to be submitted by the end of month 3, covering work completed during the first 3 months of the TA;

(iii) a draft final TA report, to be submitted two weeks before the end of TA implementation; and (iv) a final TA report, to be submitted within four weeks of the final tripartite review meeting incorporating comments of ADB and the Governments.

3.The RETA Stage I will be implemented by a team consisting of:

(i)Program Design Specialist/Team Leader

(ii)Policy and Institutional Specialist

(iii)Resources Management/Marine and Fisheries Specialist

(iv)Resource Economist

(v)Country Facilitators (5)

A.Program Design Expert/Team Leader (international, 12 person months)

4.Under the over-all direction and guidance of ADB, the Team Leader (TL) provides the leadership to the project team for the achievement of project objectives within the set timetable. Specifically, the TL shall be responsible for the following tasks:

(i)Prepare the design of implementation (stage two) of the project, noting the country-specific policy and institutional environments, including capacity constraints/needs;

(ii)Provide technical guidance and directions to international and national consultants and to ensure their Terms of Reference (TOR) are complied;

(iii)Provide assistance to Country-level teams in negotiating partnerships with donor agencies and coordinating with donors supporting similar interventions;

(iv) Undertake assessment on the mandate and capacity of various government agencies concerned with coastal and marine resource management and help implement institutional strengthening and capacity building, coordination and introducing consultative and participatory processes involving non-government stakeholders. Integrate sectoral agencies into project formulation and implementation work;

(i)Identify priority capacity building interventions required

(ii)Formulate recommendations for incorporating public participation processes, and social improvement strategies covering livelihood creation and poverty reduction in targeted areas;

(iii)Define biophysical and socioeconomic indicators needed to monitor changes in the ecological environment, biodiversity status, and social well-being;

(iv)In coordination with team members, prepare environmental assessment of the overall program using a suitable approach, such as strategic environmental assessment, according to ADB environmental assessment guidelines;

(v)In coordination with the other members of the consulting team and in consultation with stakeholders, prepare a detailed project proposal and specific work plans reflecting expected outputs/outcomes of PIF suitable for GEF financing, and country specific components; including background and rationale, cost estimates, financing plan, implementation arrangements, strategic environmental assessment, and description on the project's expected impacts, benefits, and risks;

(x) Finalize monitoring and evaluation system and identify appropriate indicators to assess performance and sustainability, oversee Design and Monitoring Framework (DMF) development;

(xi) Lead the team consultations, workshops, and awareness-raising efforts with the aim of participatory project development; and

(xii)Finalize detailed GEF project preparation proposal in collaboration with various stakeholders and partners.

(xiii)Improve and finalize the GEF project threat and root cause analysis;

(xiv) Attend to STAP comments and oversee the proposal for GEF CEO/Council endorsement

B. Policy and Institutional Specialist (international, 3.5 person months)

5.The policy and legal expert will work under the overall guidance of the Team Leader and: (a) assess the existing and planned national policy and legal environment to support sustainable watershed and coastal/marine resources and fisheries management; (b) ensure socio-economic aspects are fully covered in ADB/GEF proposal development; and (c) provide baseline economic parameters relevant for development of incremental cost analysis:

(i)Review and assess the Government's existing legal and policy framework for watershed management, and coastal/marine resources and fisheries management;

(ii)Identify measures needed to strengthen the legal and policy regimes to avoid overlapping mandates and to strengthen coordination and harmonization among concerned agencies

(iii)Analyze any changes planned in existing policy and legal situation, or planned new policy and legal instruments likely to impact on sustainable management and conservation

(iv)Analyze capacity of key institutions and propose capacity building measures necessary to promote coastal conservation (in terms of legal issues)

(v)Analyze public awareness of relevant policy and legislation at project demonstration sites

(vi)Integrate technical inputs provided by the project designing team into the final GEF proposal, working closely with the Project Design Specialist and the Project Team Leader

(vii)Provide socio-economic information necessary for designing the GEF project including role of natural resources on livelihoods, socio-economic threats to the globally significant biodiversity of selected demonstration sites, root causes for those socio-economic threats;

(viii)Analyze resource economics, market development opportunities and livelihood strategies for ensuring biodiversity conservation while promoting sustainable community development and cultural integrity;

(viv)Review any relevant published information collected through similar studies undertaken by other agencies;

(x)Review and analyze the existing socio-economic information on the candidate project sites and develop a framework to undertake detailed studies in selected demonstration sites;

C.Resources Management/Marine and Fisheries Specialist (international, 5 person months)

6.The Coastal and Marine Resource Management cum Fisheries Specialist will focus on resource management issues. The Specialist will work under the guidance of the Team Leader.

(i)Review and assess the institutional arrangements and organization including capacity constraints, undertake needs assessment for capacity building of the key agencies in watershed management, coastal/marine resources, and fisheries management; and recommend measures for institutional capacity strengthening specific for each country based on the result of need assessment;

(ii)Review and evaluate past and present: coastal resources management and development activities, studies, and plans; fisheries policies, strategies, and directions; and assess impacts in the designated area. Formulate activities that will lead to environmentally sound resource management in focus areas;

(iii)Assess barriers to effective coastal and marine resource management and ways to overcome the barriers, including enabling policy environments, legislative and regulatory needs, and institutional capacity for project implementation;

(iv)Design work program to compile information on coastal and marine biodiversity in project areas, particularly: species richness and habitat diversity; site-specific threats to biodiversity and analysis of root causes; and essential habitats and threatened and endemic species;

(v)Review and evaluate existing and past activities, studies, and plans with respect to formal and informal marine managed areas (MMA); and assess lessons learned, and prepare suitable plan for establishing such formal and informal MMAs; and

(vi)Considering the above, formulate an integrated coastal and marine resource management plan focusing on protection and sustainable utilization of the resources. To this end, determine adequacy of enabling policy environment, the status of marine biodiversity, and threats to the sustainable use of coastal and marine resources as the basis for identification of suitable sites for project interventions;

D.Resource Economist (international, 3.5 person months)

7.The Resource Economist will prepare the overall costs estimate of the project, including the incremental costs of proposed activities. The Resource Economist will work in close collaboration with the Team Leader and the other members of the consultant team.

(i)Establish the baseline costs of current activities in project demonstration sites;

(ii)Work closely with the Project Design Expert and country teams to determine incremental costs of activities proposed for the full project;

(iii)Provide policy and analytical inputs for the development of the GEF project documents;

(iv)Review any published information relevant collected through similar studies undertaken by other domestic or international agencies;

(v)Assess funding needs and gaps for effective marine resources management and business plan for long-term funding needs;

(vi)Explore public-private sector partnership in marine and coastal resource management, and assess sustainable finance mechanisms (e.g. trust fund, tourism user fees, fishery license fees, etc), as source of fund after the project completed.

E. Country Facilitators (national, one in each country -Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Fiji, and Vanuatu-, 4 person months per country/total 20 person months).

8.Assist and support the Team Leader and international consultant(s), including but not limited to the following tasks:

(i)Liaise, in close consultation with GEF Focal points, with concerned agencies, institutions, organizations, community based organizations and NGOs, and assist the international consultants in collecting data/information on legislative and policy issues; institutional setup, arrangements, and issues; watershed condition, and coastal and marine resources management (formal and informal); and other tasks as directed by the Team Leader;

(ii)Assist the international consultants in undertaking consultations and workshops, act as workshop facilitator to facilitate the work of the international consultants, and facilitate discussions on design and monitoring framework analysis and development, taking into consideration other stakeholder input; and

(iii)Assistant the team leader with respect to all project activities, especially providing input on country-specific issues affecting design and implementation of the project.