Samoa MSP

Overview and objectives

Summary:

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Oceania Regional Office (IUCN ORO), with funding from the European Union’s Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA+) Initiative, is working in…

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Oceania Regional Office (IUCN ORO), with funding from the European Union’s Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA+) Initiative, is working in partnership with the Government of Samoa (GoS) to support Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) by implementing a national-scale Marine Spatial Plan (MSP = Ocean Plan) while strengthening community engagement in climate actions.
The Project requires strong collaboration between the GoS and IUCN ORO to deliver and implement an MSP. Together, we will build the capacity of key staff (Outcome 1), develop important products that form the basis of MSP toolbox (Outcome 2) and, develop and implement an MSP that is built on the foundation of participation and engagement of local communities in the MSP process (Outcome 3).
Outcome 1
An ongoing and important outcome throughout the life of the Project will be centred on building the capacity of key staff within GoS and CSOs in collating, preparing and, using biophysical and human-use spatial data. The use of this data will be essential in developing and implementing a MSP. The Project will also build in-country skills in aspects of marine resource planning and management.
Outcome 2
To develop an MSP for Samoa, it is essential that there is knowledge and understanding of the ecosystem and biophysical characteristics of Samoa’s inshore and offshore marine areas. To build on the information that is already known and available, the Project (IUCN together with the Government of Samoa) will develop key products that form the basis of the MSP toolbox. These may include: marine bioregions for Samoa (the framework for developing a represented network of marine protected areas); identify special unique marine areas, and the development of ocean zones and placement guidelines for Samoa’s inshore and offshore marine areas.
Outcome 3
This outcome is the largest and most significant component of the Project that will, over the four-year timeframe, bring together the work of Outcome 1 and 2. This Outcome has two separate but connected components that will operate in synergy to deliver a national MSP for Samoa.

Objective:

build the capacity of key staff (Outcome 1), develop important products that form the basis of MSP toolbox (Outcome 2) develop and implement an MSP that is built on the foundation of…

build the capacity of key staff (Outcome 1),

develop important products that form the basis of MSP toolbox (Outcome 2)

develop and implement an MSP that is built on the foundation of participation and engagement of local communities in the MSP process (Outcome 3).