The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $36 million grant to support Fiji’s efforts to protect vulnerable coastal communities from storm surges, sea level rise and coastal erosion.
The funding will support the Enhancing Climate Resilience of Coastal Communities Sector Project, which aims to reduce exposure to extreme weather events and strengthen long-term resilience for communities heavily dependent on coastal and fisheries-based livelihoods.
ADB Pacific Subregional Office Regional Director Aaron Batten said the project would directly benefit about 15 vulnerable 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,” Mr Batten said.
He added that the initiative would focus on low-income households, including those headed by women.
According to government estimates, cyclones and flooding alone cause average annual losses equivalent to 5.8 per cent of Fiji’s gross domestic product, highlighting the urgency of strengthening climate resilience.
The project will deliver nature-based coastal protection measures, including the restoration of approximately 3,000 metres of coastline and riverbanks through revegetation and mangrove planting.
It will also promote stronger community engagement and enhance the government’s institutional capacity to design, implement and manage integrated coastal protection solutions to address rising sea levels and increasingly severe weather events.
The initiative is funded through a USD 15 million grant from ADB’s Asian Development Fund, which provides support to the poorest and most vulnerable countries in Asia and the Pacific.
Between 2021 and 2024, the fund helped around 384,000 people escape poverty and generated approximately 500,000 jobs across the region.
