GCF Regional Tuna Programme Proposal: Adapting tuna-dependent Pacific Island communities and economies to climate change

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved a request by a consortium of partners (Conservation International, Pacific Community, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Fisheries Forum Authority, and CSIRO) to develop a funding proposal for a Pacific regional programme to manage the impacts of climate change on communities and economies that depend on the fisheries sector in 14 Pacific Island countries. This major programme is designed to help Pacific Island communities and economies to adapt in two main ways – A. Increase access to tuna to fill the gap in fish supply, and B. Develop an Advanced Warning System (AWS) based on improved modelling to reduce uncertainty in the impact of ocean warming on tuna distribution. The impact of the programme is, IF Pacific Island governments are supported to implement effective programmes for assisting coastal and urban communities to obtain and utilize more tuna, and are provided with improved information on climate change-driven redistribution of tuna; THEN Pacific Island nations will be transformed to become more resilient to key climate change threats facing the fisheries sector BECAUSE communities and governments will be better informed and equipped to make optimal use of the fisheries resources on which they depend for food security, livelihoods, and economic development.