Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP)

Presentation by Sapolu Tetoa and Semisi Tonga, Government of Tuvalu, at the Coalition Of Low-Lying Atoll Nations on Climate Change (CANCC) peer learning cohort workshop on “National Adaptation Planning With a Focus on Coastal Adaptation” in North Malé Atoll, Maldives, between May 1 - May 3, 2024.

2. Where is Tuvalu?

3. Background
•Tuvalu is a Least Developed Country (LDC) and the 4
th
smallest country in the world by land area (After The Vatican City,
Monaco, & Nauru).
•It consists of nine inhabited atolls with total land area of 26 km
2
and a population of approximately 11,000.
•The capital Fogafale Island, Funafuti Atoll which houses approximately half of the national population (ca 6,000) has an
average elevation less than 0.5m above the reach of high spring tide levels.
•Tuvalu’s atoll islands are cyclone exposed and very low laying and thus urgently exposed to sea level rise impacts.
•Recent state of the art data analysis shows the overall average elevation of Central Fogafale today is a mere 23cm above the
reach of measured high spring tides.
•The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) worst case scenario sea level rise projections it is estimated that
near half of the land area of Fogafale will become routinely inundated during normal monthly high tides by 2050 – 2060.
•By 2100 less than 10% of the land area would remain above the reach of annual high spring tide events.
•These challenges, combined with limited resources and capacity constraints require urgent solutions to secure people and
assets from the catastrophic impacts of sea level rise.

4. Wave Surge has become frequent and
intensified causing more damages to
properties
Coastal Erosion continues to encroach deeper
inland and cause persistent loss of valuable
lands
Last year’s drought has exerted
substantial impacts on root crops,
plants and livestock
Climate impacts to Community Resilience
Bandos, Maldives (29/04/24)

5. February 2024 (Spring Tide)

6. TCAP - Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project
•TCAP is Implemented by the United Nations
Development Programme in partnership with
the Government of Tuvalu.
•It is financed by the Green Climate Fund
US$36 million, with US$2.9 million co-
financing from the Government of Tuvalu and
US$1.3 million top-up from the Australian
Government.
•TCAP is focused on strengthening the
resilience of one of the world’s most
vulnerable countries to climate change and
sea-level rise by improving coastal protection
in key locations on the islands of Funafuti,
Nanumea and Nanumaga.
•While these new measures will act as a
buffer during storms, the project is also
striving to build the capacity of national and
island governments and local communities in
adapting to climate change in the longer
term.
7.3 Ha of raised
engineered land in
Funafuti, designed to
remain safe from storm
waves and sea level
rise beyond 2100.

7. In 2019 TCAP commissioned a national airborne Lidar survey of all islands, lagoons and reefs to accurately
determine the relationship between sea level and land height across all 9 of the country's atolls. This high-
resolution data became the baseline upon which TCAP’s capital works were designed, wave impacts
modeled, and the data also underpins the TCAP Hazards Dashboard – all activities which are world firsts for a
Pacific SIDS.
https://opm.gem.spc.int/tcap/home

Implementation Highlights
Nui Atoll – Lidar showing highly accurate elevation
detail
Nui Atoll – existing satellite derived elevation data is
many meters in error

8. The TCAP Hazards
Dashboard is freely
available and one of the
most accurate
comprehensive platforms
ever developed for an atoll
nation (In the Pacific)
Showing storm wave
inundation patterns,
Sea level rise inundation,
Shoreline evolution over
time and maps
Statistics for community
and asset exposure to
inundation and estimated
damages.

https://opm.gem.spc.int/tcap/home
This work has been published in peer reviewed literature and is also underpinning national wave inundation early warning system development under related independent work by SPC – TCAP’s
partners developing this dashboard.

9. 1.The new highly accurate TCAP
elevation data can be used to
show the extent of marine
flooding at high tide in 2050
(+0.4m rise).
2.The image (A) to the left is
Funafuti the capital of Tuvalu. To
the right (B) is the same island
showing the extent of flooding
with 0.4m (40cm) of sea level
rise.
3.The Green Areas
are the only
remaining land above sea level, all other land is inundated in the
+0.4m scenario.
Funafuti the
capital of Tuvalu
today
Funafuti in ~
2050 0.4m sea
level rise.
(A) (B)

10. Because of imminent
inundation risk TCAP
built 7.3 hectares of
raised safe land
designed to remain
flood free beyond 2100
FUNAFUTI ATOLL

11. On two outer islands of
Tuvalu, Nanumea and
Nanumaga, TCAP is building
wave overtopping protection
to prevent marine flooding
into village areas of these
islands.
These “berm top barriers” –
BTB’s lay along the highest
part of the foreshore (the
natural berm) and raise the
berm by approximately 1 to
1.5m and will act to prevent
storm waves flooding the
island.
The BTB’s do not disturb the
foreshore and act as a last
line of defense. They will be
buried and once vegetation is
re-established will be largely
invisible along the shores of
these rural islands. Nanumea Atoll ~ 1,323m of BTB will protect the village from wave overtopping
Nanumaga Atoll ~ 662m of BTB will protect the village from wave overtopping

12. Berm To Barriers (Nanumaga Island)

13. On Nanumea an additional 178m of
concrete unit revetment will be
constructed. These SeaBee units are
pre-caste in Fiji from superior
aggregate and shipped to Nanumea
for construction. The revetment is to
be built over the footprint of a failed
seawall (TC Pam 2016) and will
protect the main community church
and associated community facilities
on Nanumea.

14. 7.3 Ha of raised
engineered land in
Funafuti, designed
to remain safe from
storm waves and sea
level rise beyond
2100.

15. In Nanumaga
(662m of BTB will
protect the village
from wave
overtopping)

17. Shukuriyaa!!!
Fakafetailasi!!!

18. L-TAP - Tuvalu’s Long Term Adaptation
Plan
Funafuti today – the green zone shows the
proposed extent of L-TAP some 330 Ha. The
yellow zone is the extent of the current TCAP
engineering (7.3 Ha).
Conceptual plan showing finished / developed surface of L-TAP.

19. L-TAP Long-Term Adaptation
Plan
L-TAP is a pragmatic technically feasible
adaptation plan that can keep the national
population safe from sea level rise beyond 2100.
L-TAP has also been designed to tackle some of
Tuvalu’s most intractable development
challenges, such as;
•Safe sustainable water supply
•Energy security via renewables.
•Improved air and sea port facilities –
commensurate with contemporary needs.
•Provision of open areas, market gardens,
sports fields etc.
•Space for sustainable urban growth.

20. There is no open space left in Fogafale and land becomes more scarce because flooding increases year by year.
In order to accommodate safe growth L-TAP incorporates an upgraded port / light industry area as well as green
spaces designed for market gardening and animal production. These are crucial to food security and sustainable
development and likewise green spaces and playing fields are incorporated to provide opportunities that are
impossible in contemporary Fogafale.
Light industry, public
works, fisheries and
container handing facility
Market gardens, animal
husbandry, sports
grounds, green areas.
Protected port facility

21. Today’s international airport and runway is nestled within the village, it is
unsafe, subject to flooding and can not be improved to accommodate common
regional passenger aircraft. This means air services are expensive and
restricted, stifling development.
Like Majuro’s (Marshall Islands) airport, L-TAP’s new runway will double as a rainwater catchment capable of suppling the entire population with a sustainable, safe source of fresh water. As well as allowing Tuvalu to enjoy
routine, safe air services.
Community housing
Rainwater storage reservoirs and treatment before reticulation to the township
Safe raised runway built away from the village and to international standards. A fenced secure runway can provide a huge rainfall catchment to allow the supply of high quality, sustainable freshwater.

22. Community housing, commercial areas, schools, green zones and civic buildings are well planned and built
to appropriate standards to ensure resilience to cyclone wind conditions. Buried services such as
wastewater, power and freshwater supply as well as access ways are planned to ensure an efficient,
functional living environment. The surface of L-TAP will also be graded to facilitate stormwater drainage, a
major health hazard in contemporary Funafuti.
Green zones
Commercial and civic areas
Community housing

23. Engineered land requires foreshore protection and this can restrict ease of access to the shore. L-TAP
recognizes the importance of providing for access and the crucial role of local fisheries in healthy local diet. A
protected sandy shore allows local wooden fishing boats to be hauled safely onto the shore and provides a
safe location for families to swim, etc.
Government and Public Service Offices Green areas for recreation, market gardens, animal production and sports fields.
Protected sandy beach adjoining to recreation areas allows easy access to the shore and maintains the important community link to the sea.