Project Overview

As with many small island developing states, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has had little if anything to do with causing global climate change, but is left to now cope with the consequences.

The country faces worsening droughts, and coastal inundation which can contaminate groundwater resources, resulting in water shortages that have significant economic and social impacts. Rural communities and households are particularly vulnerable.

This 7-year project (2019-2026) supports the Government to adapt to increasing climate risks, particularly more frequent and extreme droughts, which impact the country’s water supply for drinking, cooking, hygiene and sanitation.

The project focuses on:

• Improving household and community rainwater harvesting and storage structures to increase resilience of water supply in all outer islands and atolls, accounting for approximately 28% of RMI’s population currently at risk

• Securing groundwater resources from contamination due to inundation caused by wave overtopping of seawater.

• Strengthening the technical capacities of national and subnational institutions and key stakeholders to integrated climate change risks into water governance processes so that management of climate change risks are coordinated, effective, participatory, equitable, and sustained over the long-term when risks are expected to worsen.

Expected Outcomes

Output 1: Implementation of optimal mix of interventions to ensure climate resilient water security in outer atolls and islands of RMI

Output 2: Optimization of alternative water sources to reduce reliance on harvested rainwater in the context of reduced rainfall

Output 3: Climate change induced drought preparedness and response measures implemented in outer atolls and islands