Outline of the Project
Project Name
Project for Eco-technological management of Tuvalu against sea level rise
Country
Tuvalu
Date of Agreement
March 31st, 2009
Project Duration
April 1st, 2009 – March 31st, 2014 (5 years term)
Implementing Agency
Department of Environment Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Foreign Affair, Environment and Labour)
Project Background
With land elevations of 1 to 2m, Tuvalu is threatened by the sea level rise by Global worming.
On the other hands, human activities have also stressed and degraded the local ecosystem. Tuvalu consists of coral and foraminifera sand, but ecosystem degradation has let to reduced sand production. The threat to Tuvalu is combined the global threat and local stresses such as population increase and economic growth.
The countermeasure for coastal protection may be fraught with danger of the island sustainability destruction, if it is not considered natural land formation of Tuvalu.
It must be based on natural island maintenance processes and help to enhance island resilience potential.
Overall Goal
To increase the resilience of the Tuvalu coast against sea level rise through ecosystem rehabilitation and regeneration and through engineering support for sand production and sedimentation processes.
Project Purpose
- A sand production-transportation-sedimentation model which is considered effects of human activities and global warming is developed and eco-engineering technology adapted to the Tuvaluan situations to create and/or restore sandy beach is proposed.
- Capacity and awareness of the research staff, government officials and local communities to conserve and restore the coastal environment and ecosystem are improved.
Outcomes
- A habitat-sedimentation balance map is made and the regional characteristics and formation process of the sandy beach are clarified.
- The effects of human activities on coastal sand production-sedimentation are evaluated.
- Eco-engineering technology to enhance sand production-transportation-sedimentation is proposed.
- Technical and administrative capacity of the research staff and government officials engaged in the joint research is developed.
Project Activities
| 1-1 | Distribution of coral and foraminifera is observed by remote sensing and field survey. |
| 1-2 | A habitat map is made. |
| 1-3 | Sand transportation processes are understood. |
| 1-4 | A habitat-sand sediment balance map is made. |
| 2-1 | Human-induced ecosystem destructions and factors caused by constructions and landform changes to hinder sand production-transportation-sedimentation are identified. |
| 3-1 | Eco-engineering technology based 1-1 and 1-2 is proposed and documented. |
| 3-2 | An eco-engineering model to promote sand production by coral and foraminifera is proposed. |
| 4-1 | The research staff and government officials acquire knowledge and skills needed for conducting the research through on-the-job training and joint research activities. |
Input
Japan Side:
- Researchers:
- (Field：Physical Geopgraphy, Marine Ecology, Remote sensing, Mapping, Coastal engineering)
Tuval Side:
- Researchers:
- (Field：Physical Geopgraphy, Marine Ecology, Remote sensing, Mapping, Coastal engineering)
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