More than 127,000 Pacific islanders are expected to directly benefit as the Kiwa Initiative ramps up implementation of 45 climate resilience projects across 17 Pacific Island countries and territories, organisers announced following the programme’s 12th Steering Committee Meeting in Suva on April 27.
The regional programme, managed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and financed by France, the European Union, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, has mobilised €79.5 million (about $F205.62 million) since 2020 to bolster nature-based adaptation measures and community resilience. At the Suva meeting the Kiwa Steering Committee approved four new projects, bringing the initiative’s portfolio to 45 active interventions across the region.
European Union delegation to the Pacific team leader and steering committee chair Erik Lindebo said the new projects underscored continued donor commitment as climate risks intensify. “The launch of these four new projects is a testament to the donors’ shared resolve to stand by Pacific communities as they face some of the most severe consequences of climate change,” he said. “Through the Kiwa Initiative, we are investing not just in ecosystems, but in the resilience, livelihoods, and futures of Pacific peoples.”
Three of the newly announced projects are regional in scope and target fisheries management, community resilience, and water security — thematic areas identified by Pacific governments as critical for long-term adaptation. The fourth is a local restoration project in New Caledonia focused on forest and mangrove rehabilitation, reflecting Kiwa’s emphasis on nature-based solutions that protect coasts, enhance food security and store carbon.
Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, told the meeting that the country has already seen “meaningful” benefits from Kiwa support. He said Fiji currently hosts 10 ongoing Kiwa projects and will participate in an additional regional project about to be launched, with nearly 200 Fijian communities receiving support to adapt to rising climate impacts. Dr Michael described the initiatives as delivering tangible work to strengthen ecosystems, restore degraded landscapes and bolster community preparedness.
Programme directors said the combined portfolio is designed to reach a mix of direct beneficiaries — coastal fishers and farming families, communities managing water resources, and local stakeholders engaged in forest and mangrove restoration — while generating regional public goods such as improved fisheries governance and water security planning. Details on project timelines, budgets and country-by-country allocations were not released at the meeting; implementing partners are expected to publish project documents and workplans in coming weeks.
The Kiwa Initiative was launched in 2020 to scale up climate adaptation across the Pacific through nature-based approaches and capacity building. With this latest tranche of projects, the programme aims to maintain momentum ahead of regional climate negotiations and growing urgency from island governments confronting sea-level rise, coastal erosion and changing marine resources. The April 27 steering meeting in Suva also served as a platform for donors and Pacific partners to review progress and align support for further implementation.