Micronesia Challenge 2030
Strengthening shared management of natural resources spanning political boundaries in the Western Pacific.
The Center for Ocean Solutions executed a project in partnership with island nations and jurisdictions across Micronesia to effectively and holistically manage shared natural resources.
Countries in the Western Pacific are geographically remote, yet their marine ecosystems are inextricably connected and benefit from shared management. Many oceangoing species, like tuna, cross political boundaries throughout their life cycle.
In recognition of this interconnection, the Micronesia Challenge was launched in 2006 as a shared commitment between the Republic of Palau, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands to conserve 20% of the region’s terrestrial resources and 30% of its near-shore marine habitats by 2020.
In 2019, leaders in Micronesia expanded their scope, moving from a focus on delineating conservation areas to prioritizing their effective management, and set out to achieve this new vision by 2030. Around this time, the Center for Ocean Solutions began collaborating with jurisdictional partners to develop a project framework to support a shift toward more inclusive, locally led management models that incorporate livelihoods and other regionally salient values. Additional goals of the Micronesia Challenge 2030 include managing fisheries and invasive species, restoring habitats, expanding livelihood opportunities, and reducing the risks posed by climate impacts to Micronesian communities.
In 2021, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) awarded $2M to a project called “Strengthening and Enabling the Micronesia Challenge 2030.” The Center for Ocean Solutions executed the project, sponsored by the GEF and implemented by the World Wildlife Fund, from 2022 to 2026 to help realize conservation and management ambitions in partnership with the island nations and jurisdictions that have committed to the Micronesia Challenge 2030. The project supported integrated management of marine resources at the country level, strengthened regional coordination around shared goals, and helped monitor, evaluate, and share knowledge at the local levels.
Sharing lessons in marine management
In the fall of 2025, project team members participated in a Twinning Exchange with a similar multi-national project from the Caribbean (BE-CLME+). The exchange included dual site visits in Palau (November 2025) and Saint Lucia (January 2026). Each site visit included an exploration of the marine resource management areas, dialogues with local practitioners, and knowledge transfer regarding best practices for multi-scale resource management. The exchange culminated in a formal presentation to government staff members in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, to share lessons in marine resource management between the Western Pacific and Caribbean regions
- Eric Hartge | Research Development Manager, Center for Ocean Solutions
- Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority; Marshall Islands
- Department of Resources and Development; Federated States of Micronesia
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment; Palau
- Micronesia Challenge Regional Office
- Micronesia Conservation Trust
- World Wildlife Fund
This work is funded by the GEF Trust Fund.
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