In a landmark decision, the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) governing board approved Fiji’s US$27 million Nature, People, and Climate (NPC) Investment Plan, developed in partnership with the World Bank.
The plan adopts a “mountain-to-ocean” approach to strengthen climate resilience across watersheds, coastal zones, and marine ecosystems. It is expected to benefit more than 80,000 Fijians while advancing biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods for generations to come.
Delivering the opening remarks during Fiji’s proposal defence, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Prof. Biman Prasad said the endorsement reaffirmed the country’s development pathway towards building climate-resilient communities.
“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. We must invest in smart, adaptive development that protects our people and natural assets from the escalating impacts of climate change. The support of the Climate Investment Funds will help us drive this transition in a way that is equitable, sustainable, and future-focused,” Prasad said.
Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change Dr. Sivendra Michael, who defended Fiji’s investment proposal before the CIF Board, stressed that the plan embodies Fiji’s commitment to transformational change rooted in its people and landscapes.
“This Investment Plan captures our pathway to long-term, transformative change where people and nature can thrive together. For Fiji, climate action is not an abstract concept, it is an everyday reality that defines our economy, our communities, and our identity. The Government of Fiji has the policies, the plans, and the conviction to adapt. 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,” Michael said.
Fiji’s economy remains deeply tied to the health of its natural environment — with tourism contributing about 40 percent of GDP and 20 percent of jobs, and agriculture, fisheries, and forestry accounting for 32 percent of GDP and 40 percent of employment. However, the nation continues to face mounting threats from sea level rise, tropical cyclones, and coastal erosion, with climate-related losses estimated at five percent of GDP annually.
A dedicated US$4 million grant under CIF’s Dedicated Grant Mechanism (DGM) will further empower Indigenous Peoples and local communities to lead projects anchored in traditional knowledge, resilience, and sustainable resource management.
CIF Chief Executive Officer Tariye Gbadegesin welcomed the endorsement, commending Fiji’s leadership among island nations.
“Investing in nature is investing in a secure and prosperous future especially for Fiji, where the natural environment underpins the economy. Since 2008, CIF has been a committed partner to Small Island Developing States, particularly across the Pacific. Now we’re scaling up this work to help vulnerable communities in Fiji and beyond protect and manage the ecosystems that sustain them,” Gbadegesin said.
Fiji is the first Pacific Small Island Developing State (PSIDS) among eight countries selected under CIF’s NPC Investment Program, which supports nations in scaling nature-based solutions to strengthen climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable livelihoods.
