Fiji getting less than 10% of needed climate funds, MPs told

Fiji is receiving less than 10 per cent of the climate funding it actually needs, a senior government official told Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence today.
Environment and Climate Change Permanent Secretary Sivendra Michael made the revelation during a submission on the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), a new Pacific-owned fund designed to give communities faster, simpler access to climate finance.
“Funding is less than 10 per cent of the total funding required that we receive,” Mr Michael said.
He added that of all funding from the Green Climate Fund, one of the world’s largest climate finance sources, Pacific Island countries collectively receive less than five per cent of total allocations.
Mr Michael said the numbers showed how far behind Fiji was in securing the resources needed to protect schools, roads, water supplies and coastal communities from worsening climate impacts.
Committee Deputy Chairperson Rinesh Sharma raised the concern directly, asking whether Fiji was “losing the race” against the growing cost of climate damage.
Mr Michael said Cabinet had been provided an information paper listing every climate project funded in Fiji since 2012, and the committee would also receive it.
The PRF, which has secured US$172 million from 13 development partners, is designed to fill the gap by providing grants, not loans, directly to Pacific communities.
Its headquarters will be based in Nuku’alofa, Tonga.

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