Fiji secures $62M climate boost to protect nature and communities

More than 80,000 Fijians are set to benefit from a US$27 million (approximately FJ$62m) climate investment plan endorsed by the Climate Investment Funds today.

The Nature, People, and Climate Investment Plan, developed with the World Bank, will strengthen climate resilience from Fiji’s mountains to its oceans while supporting biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods.

The plan comes as climate-related losses cost Fiji an estimated 5 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product each year, with intensifying threats from sea level rise, tropical cyclones, and coastal erosion affecting communities nationwide.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad said the endorsement would help build climate-resilient communities across the nation.

“Fiji has a clear vision: to accelerate growth towards high-income status by 2050 and eliminate poverty. This ambition is inseparable from our climate agenda,” Mr Prasad said.

“The support of the Climate Investment Funds will help us drive this transition in a way that is equitable, sustainable, and future-focused.”

The investment will protect watersheds, coastal zones, and marine ecosystems that Fijians depend on for their livelihoods.

Permanent secretary for Environment and Climate Change Dr Sivendra Michael said the plan would turn government commitments into tangible action.

“For Fiji, climate action is not an abstract concept, it is an everyday reality that defines our economy, our communities, and our identity,” Dr Michael said.

“These resources will help us turn those commitments into tangible action by restoring our ecosystems, strengthening livelihoods, and protecting the heritage that binds us as a nation.”

A dedicated $4m grant will empower Indigenous communities to lead projects based on traditional knowledge and sustainable resource management.

Fiji is the first Pacific Small Island Developing State selected under the programme.

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