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Tuvalu is the fourth smallest nation in the world with a population of 11,000. Tuvalu is made up of nine inhabited islands five which are coral atolls and four made of land rising from the seabed. The environmental challenges Tuvalu faces include the impacts if a changing climate increasing sea level rises and weather events, increasing salination.

The Tuvalu Integrated Waste Policy and Action Plan 2016-2026 was endorsed by the Government in 2016 as the main policy framework to guide the management of waste in Tuvalu.

Tuvalu acceded to the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) in September 1998 because of its concern regarding degradation of its habitats and current predicted shortages of water connected with increasing population and the effects of climate change. As a Party to the UNCCD, Tuvalu is obliged to follow Section 9 and 10 of the Convention in preparing a National Action Plan.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have gained wide acceptance among coastal planners, managers, researchers, and scientists as an effective tool that can be utilized to protect threatened marine and coastal ecosystems. MPAs allow depleted breeding stocks of important food fish and invertebrate species to regenerate and become re-established, providing a foundation for sustainable fisheries. Typically, the MPA model comprises a core “’no-take” conservation area, within which harvest of fish and other consumable resources is strictly prohibited, and a surrounding “buffer zone” in which non-intensive fishing practices are permitted. The full commitment and participation of the local community in planning, design, and implementation can ensure the long-term viability of such projects.