Objectives:
In close collaboration with the main consultant, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), other relevant national stakeholders such as the Bureau of Statistics, and in consultation with ESCAP, the objectives of the consultancy are to:
Data for creating selected ecosystem accounts
1. Conduct desk research and local expert consultations to determine candidate national, regional and global geospatial datasets to be used in producing selected ocean ecosystem accounts (such as extent and selected condition and service accounts of mangroves) in Samoa, with focus on Vaiusu Bay.
2. Assess the suitability and quality of national and global geospatial datasets to be used, as well as the possibility to include selected socio-economic information (such as location of households/businesses, ownership, infrastructure).
3. In consultation with the main consultant, MNRE and ESCAP, evaluate the possibility to use selected ecosystem and GIS models to include additional information (for example vegetation density, services provided) in accordance with GOAP's manuals on Ocean Accounts , SEEA and with inspiration from similar projects in for example Fiji and Indonesia .
4. Engage with the main consultant, ESCAP and related stakeholder on a regular basis to determine which of the selected datasets/models should be prioritized and output to be produced.
5. Collect, process and model agreed data, as well as convert data to needed format for SEEA compilation.
6. Document the sources used, data layers, quality, transformation, assumptions, and other related characteristics.
7. Provide agreed maps and statistics to the main consultant in agreed exchange format.
8. Store data in a database in agreed exchange format.
Research on climate change
1. Conduct desk research relying on satellite information and GIS technologies to assess sea-level rise in Samoa, with a particular focus on Vaiusu Bay.
1.1. Historical satellite information shall be used to identify a trend and/or patterns in sea-level rise and observed physical changes. The consultant will produce maps and graphics based on the data sets.
Report writing
1. Write a report or an appendix to the final report on the target ecosystem accounts, outlining sources used, the steps taken, quality issues, assumptions made, content of the analytical maps, and recommendations for future work. In close collaboration with the main consultant, integrate selected findings and maps into the final report.
2. Write an analytical brief on climate change outlining finding, data, maps, and in close collaboration with the main consultant integrate these findings into a final report.
Expected results:

• Selected maps and data on targeted ecosystem accounts and related statistics in Samoa.

Expected Deliverables:
a) A draft outline of the work plan to collect and process selected data agreed with main consultant (by December 2022).
b) Agreement with ESCAP on the work plan and expected outputs (by January 2023).
c) Agreed maps and statistics to be used to create selected ecosystem accounts delivered to main consultant (by April 2023).
d) Deliver analytical brief as described in 4.2 and all maps, graphics, data sets and findings as a result of 3.1 activities (by June 2023).
e) Final maps and statistics in agreed format (by September 2023)
f) Deliver a report/appendix on ecosystem accounts and data/maps to be incorporated in the final report (by September 2023).
g) Presentation of methods, findings and recommendations to related stakeholders (by October 2023)