$27M climate plan promises resilience, but Opposition MPs want clarity

The Government’s $27 million Nature, People and Climate Investment Plan has come under scrutiny from Opposition members.

They are questioning how the multi-million-dollar climate funding will reach ordinary Fijians, particularly farmers, small businesses, and indigenous communities.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Mosese Bulitavu, told Parliament yesterday that the plan, introduced under the "Climate Investment Fund"  (CIF) in 2022, aims to support nature-based solutions that strengthen ecosystems, reduce emissions, and improve livelihoods.

“This programme recognises the link between land use, climate change, and livelihoods,” he said. “It focuses on improving ecosystem management, building resilience, and helping communities, especially those in rural areas, adapt to climate shocks.”

The $27 million package is split evenly between a 50 per cent grant and a 50 per cent concessional loan, with additional funding from the World Bank’s “Progreen” and “Problue” initiatives to support sustainable land and marine management.

Mr Bulitavu further clarified that the investment will improve the management of about 400,000 hectares of land, roughly 22 per cent of Fiji’s total area, focusing on forest restoration, mangrove rehabilitation, coral reef protection, and reforestation in river basins such as Sigatoka and Navua.

However, Opposition MPs questioned whether the benefits would actually reach grassroots communities.

Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya said while the plan sounded promising, ordinary people still had no clear way to access the funds.

“Has the system been set up so that farmers or community groups can apply for this funding?” Mr Koya asked.

In response, Mr Bulitavu said the system to administer applications was still being developed.

“Part of the funding will go toward establishing a secretariat and the system itself,” he said. “Once that is set up, communities will be able to apply and be assessed accordingly.”

Opposition MP Premila Kumar also raised concerns about how much of the funding would go toward administration and consultancy costs, rather than direct community projects.

“When we borrow from international organisations like the World Bank, a large portion often goes to consultants and administration,” she said. “We need to know exactly how much will reach the ground.”

Mr Bulitavu assured Parliament that the concessional loan was negotiated under favorable terms. A 40-year repayment period at one percent interest, and that an additional $4 million grant had been set aside specifically for indigenous and local community projects.

“This was not an easy process,” he said. “It took nearly three years of negotiation to ensure Fiji received fair terms that reflect our vulnerability to climate change.”

Despite these assurances, the Opposition maintained that the Government must ensure transparency and accessibility for local communities, warning that Fiji cannot afford for another large climate fund to be lost in paperwork and bureaucracy.

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