In the early hours of this morning, the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) governing board endorsed 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, strengthening climate resilience across watersheds, coastal zones, and marine ecosystems, and is expected to benefit over 80,000 Fijians, while advancing biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods for generations to come.
Delivering the opening remarks at Fiji’s proposal defence, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Professor Biman Prasad, said the endorsement affirms Fiji’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,” Professor Prasad said.
Defending Fiji’s Investment Proposal before the CIF Board, Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Sivendra Michael, emphasized that the plan reflects Fiji’s commitment to transformational change that begins with 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,” Dr. Michael said.
Fiji’s economy remains deeply intertwined with the health of its natural environment — with tourism contributing around 40% of GDP and 20% of jobs, and agriculture, fisheries, and forestry accounting for 32% of GDP and 40% of employment. Yet the nation continues to face intensifying threats from sea level rise, tropical cyclones, and coastal erosion, with climate-related losses estimated at 5% 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 rooted in traditional knowledge, resilience, and sustainable resource management.
CIF Chief Executive Officer Tariye Gbadegesin welcomed the endorsement, highlighting 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.”
Fiji is the first Pacific Small Island Developing State (PSIDS) among eight countries selected under CIF’s Nature, People, and Climate (NPC) Investment Program, which supports nations to scale nature-based solutions that strengthen climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable livelihoods.