Progress report for
The World Team Project: Sustainable Solutions Oceans Opportunities & Small Island States (SOS-IS)
Achievement at a glance
Our partnership grows. We are building our collective capacity to integrate all of 17 SDGs into our SOS-IS project's Eco Observatories and demonstration projects.<br>
<br>The World Team project has been focused on our island kits, the small scale demonstration project is still on track to be completed by the deadline.
<br>In Fiji and Samoa, we have established relationships with local native leaders in each location who have continued building community support, constituency and taken on filing procedures.
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<br>Each of our partners individually has taken steps towards building capacity and developing solutions that ultimately serve our common project goals.
<br>We have reaffirmed and continue to do our due diligence on the large scale funding offer. WE are coordinating the details of our plan and awaiting each part of the team to turn in their sections of work to submit. We continue to look for partners that can financially contribute to the project, and we are pursuing additional external funding and made headway on sponsorship.
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<br>Together through our partner organizations teamed-up, along with ministries- together we did; more than 6 beach cleanups, 25 acres of 1000 Trees, Mangroves, Coral and Eel Grass Planting. 8 Demos of Ocean Consciousness with FLOAT program. Added more ocean technology, tidal, alternative renewable energy transportation (auto, plane, and boat), other eco locations and partners. 200 tech patents are being filed. Hydrogen-powered homes, vehicles, boats, motorcycles, 4x4 utility vehicle, vacuum toilets, and portable power: Joule Box and microgrids for 60 homes powered by a hydrogen vehicle. Completed game-changing water purification of sewage with waste-to-energy. Demos of alternative energy, organic farming, and water access, technology. Support the voices to Woman, Youth, Disabled and Indigenous People. The partnership summary is here: https://bit.ly/2L0PYO3
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<br>SOS-IS website developing; partners have the capability to publish their work, progress reports and ability to upload and download documents.
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<br>We added the SOS-IS project to UNEP's Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) contributions platform. The link is: https://bit.ly/2PeW4y9
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Challenges faced in implementation
Our partnership hit a significant amount of challenges, delays, and setbacks in 2018.<br>
<br>Upon return from the Pacific Island Region to the USA, the geopolitical situations and obstacles we faced hindered our ability to complete the needed work to respond to our initial large scale funding offer. The materials, status, and agreements were not forthcoming. We had to bring in different partners.
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<br>After leaving Fiji in early 2018, we were advised to delay our return until after the elections happened, which ultimately was in November.
<br>Our funders required solidification of the project within local governments in our plan. We had made significant progress for several mutually beneficial projects with Fijian Ministries but the partnership lost valuable connections and inroads due to the changes in ministries after Fiji Government's election.
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<br>In Samoa, the local team was steadily progressing, but challenges occurred related to local native land ownership properties and the government. WTN local reps. needed more resources to proceed. MNRE leadership and staff had changed.
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<br>The effects of Climate Change hit us at home, as well. The 'Paradise and Woolsey Fires' broke out, and this affected everything. Two of our other partners were also severely affected by the fires. The WTN had to relocate to our New York base. The fires caused a significant delay and we could not return to the Pacific as planned, and lost subsequent airline ticket.
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<br>Due to a lack of ability to respond to the funding offer with an action plan for the project, the intended funding path has yet to materialize and the project lacks resources to provide the needed level of effort.
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<br>Some partners have yet to prove to prioritize mutual goals and turn in related materials.
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<br>The B Corp structure we proposed filing is new to this region is yet to be allowed. Permits now need to be renewed.
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Next Steps
Respond to the large scale funding offer with the up to date information. Turn in our plan to share resources with partners. Revise the business plan to include new technologies, systems and the whole vision of the World Team island demonstration project. Co-ordinate support for related partner projects. Seeking additional financial partner(s) and funding sources.<br>
<br>Solidify partnerships, build capacity, reach out further and bring in additional resources for the development stage. Add more human and financial capital.
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<br>Coordinate World Team sponsors, technology data resources for our media platform. Complete the myriad of related writing projects; articles, reports, materials and book series due to publisher.
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<br>Reach back out to solidify local government ministry projects with Fiji and Samoa and get agreements to include in the business plan. Continue exploring other Pacific Island region locations and ministries seeking support, or islands where we could be of assistance.
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<br>Coordinate partnership communication finish functionality of SOS-IS website to enable partners to publish their own work, progress reports, and add the ability to upload and download documents.
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<br>Organize the governance, coordinate partnership criteria and guidelines. Further Team-up with more NGOs and greater collation building for islands.
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<br>Further coordinate project plan with UN agencies, solidify integration of all 17 SDGs.
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<br>Renew 3-year work and investors permit, and transfer to a registered company.
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<br>Scout more locations in the Pacific Island region and SIDs globally.
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<br>Continue research and policy approaches to Law of the Sea, ABNJ.
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<br>Secure land leases and water rights for demonstration of solutions, preservation, and how to better live with the ocean.
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<br>Continue testing and experimenting with our ocean educational curriculum
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<br>Test solutions related to marine, tidal, wave and ocean energy technology,
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<br>Improve working as a team as we integrate new partners, and form a stronger coalition.
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Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries will be the islanders and their villages profiting, the local ministries, regional governments, and the Pacific Island Region, and other islands around the world that will learn from our demo projects.
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<br>Specific island villages have been targeted - one on an outer island in Fiji and in Samoa. The partnership will support demonstration projects in these villages. These projects can be templated and rolled out to other islands in the Pacific Island States in conjunction with the World Team platform which will address capacity building and scalability to reach people worldwide through the screen - developed regions will learn from islanders about stewardship for nature. Technology transfer and other solutions will be shared with islands.
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<br>The platform's experiential education is a critical component - all people, all species, can better learn about solutions with nature, on islands and in our world and better balance the scales for justice. We will educate as we all participate in each of the systems in miniature. Model of miniature cradle to cradle lifestyle systems ultimately for all. Our project plans to help support the UN as a beneficiary demonstrating all 17 integrated goals leading to universal benefits for all. Learning institutions' synergy teaming-up in World Team's 'feet on the sand' opportunities to allow different cultures and people to learn from the diversity, and how the plurality is needed for lasting transformation.
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<br>We are focused on these initial target groups; Youth, Indigenous People, Climate Change Refugees, and Women.
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<br>Partners will also benefit from technologies and approaches replicated and through collaboration where the synergy of resource support one another.
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<br>Demo opportunities to transform economies: scale to integrate natural and human capital resources. Use different financial mechanisms i.e. Blue Bonds cryptocurrency for models.
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<br>Local coaching for small businesses, and entrepreneurs.
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<br>As we work to preserve mangroves, the air, the land, the ocean, and human health and all living in form benefit.
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Actions
We have approval and documents signed with the majority of local villager's Mataqali (clan) to make the Mangrove Park and Preserve in Fiji on an outer island.<br>
<br>Technology transfers were made and natural-based solutions were exchanged with locals. Experiential learning occurred in meetings, local island trips that included native rituals.
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<br>While on boat trips and journeys in Pacific we demonstrated renewable energy solutions with a handheld fold-out portable solar charging system for electronic equipment that is waterproof.
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<br>Had meetings with Fijian Government Ministry of Infrastructure & Transportation: presented alternative transportation systems focused on hydrogen and electric vehicle portable charging and a community microgrid. Proposed a project to collaborate on and coordinate info for the Alternative Vehicle Expo, giving contacts and ideas.
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<br>We worked with villagers on land and site surveys, use, environmental impact, and local planning.
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<br>Multiple meetings with the villages and village elders along with regional ministries and multiple government stakeholders, dignitaries and leaders.
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<br>We paid for fuel and transportation for ministers to attend our island trips. We brought books, supplies, for adults and youth to the outer island.
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<br>Promoted tourism industry and wrote numerous articles on ecotourism. Advised resort owners and consulted on renewable energy systems.
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<br>We worked on an infectious disease proposal focused on tuberculosis for WT collaborative project for the Fiji Health Ministry.
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<br>We gave ideas to the villagers about various land uses living with the ocean.
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<br>We expanded the alliance to include more of the 17 SDGs.
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<br>Many of the concepts we introduced in the region are being realized. Locals we supported with business development consulting have flourished.
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<br>We have designed capacity-building into the World Team architecture for community engagement and to better scale the projects worldwide. We are developing an alliance in parallel for the media platform for all people.
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