The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed a grant of $36 million to strengthen Fiji’s efforts in protecting vulnerable coastal communities from the effects of storm surges, rising sea levels, and coastal erosion. This funding will support the “Enhancing Climate Resilience of Coastal Communities Sector Project,” which aims to reduce the exposure of communities that depend on coastal and fisheries-based livelihoods to extreme weather events, while building their long-term resilience.
According to Aaron Batten, the Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office, this initiative is expected to benefit around 15 at-risk coastal communities across Fiji. “The project’s primary goal is to support the Government of Fiji’s efforts to improve community resilience, particularly among those reliant on coastal and fisheries-based livelihoods,” Batten articulated. He also highlighted the importance of targeting low-income households, especially those led by women, in these efforts.
The need for such interventions is evident as government data reveal that cyclones and flooding cause average annual losses of about 5.8 percent of Fiji’s gross domestic product, demonstrating the urgency of enhancing climate resilience.
The project will leverage nature-based coastal protection strategies, including the restoration of approximately 3,000 meters of coastlines and riverbanks through initiatives such as revegetation and mangrove planting. It also aims to improve community engagement while strengthening the government’s capacity to design, implement, and manage integrated coastal protection solutions necessary to tackle the challenges stemming from rising sea levels and increasingly extreme weather.
This initiative is supported by a $15 million grant from ADB’s Asian Development Fund, which focuses on aiding the poorest and most vulnerable nations in Asia and the Pacific. From 2021 to 2024, this fund has been instrumental in helping around 384,000 individuals lift themselves out of poverty and generating approximately 500,000 jobs in the region. Through these dedicated efforts, Fiji is making notable advancements in building resilience against climate change and protecting its coastal communities for a sustainable future.