May 2025
Summary Statement
Through support from the Climate Finance Capacity Support Programme (CFCSP), Fiji’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) has embedded a Climate Adaptation Officer to strengthen adaptation strategy design, risk assessment and project proposal development. Working as part of the Programme Development Unit (PDU), the officer is delivering results that reduce delivery risk, support inter-ministerial coordination and enhance climate resilience across vulnerable communities.
Context and Challenge
Fiji faces severe and accelerating climate impacts, including rising sea levels, increased frequency of cyclones and other extreme weather events, and coastal erosion. These risks threaten livelihoods, infrastructure, and food and water security. Despite a robust legislative framework, including the 2021 Climate Change Act and the forthcoming National Adaptation Plan, translating this into localised action has been constrained by limited capacity to develop and deliver bankable projects.
Intervention and Responsibilities
The MECC is tasked with cross-government leadership and coordination and must manage growing adaptation workloads while also fulfilling international reporting and safeguarding obligations. With support from the CFCSP, the Climate Adaptation Officer was placed in the Ministry to close this capacity gap, strengthen community-grounded adaptation design, and build a pipeline of actionable climate projects aligned with national priorities.
Since placement, the officer has contributed across the adaptation policy delivery cycle, from risk identification and strategy development to community consultation and project proposal preparation. Key responsibilities include:
Conducting risk assessments and vulnerability analyses in areas such as the Rewa River tributaries and Tukuraki Village.
Designing project logframes and strategies in partnership with local agencies (such as the Yasawa Islands Adaptation and Mitigation Programme).
Coordinating stakeholder engagement and consultation processes to ensure inclusion and community validation.
Preparing and submitting concept notes and full project proposals for diverse funding mechanisms including the Adaptation Fund, Canada Fund for Local Initiatives and the Jeff Bezos Earth Fund.
Leading monitoring and evaluation planning and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) mainstreaming in all project proposals and designs.
Early Signs of Positive Change
Pipeline of Bankable Proposals Developed
The officer directly contributed to over 5 project proposal submissions between October 2024 and March 2025, including a US$10 million Adaptation Fund concept note for the Rewa Delta and a solarisation project for Vuci Village. Each proposal reflects rigorous stakeholder consultation, risk analysis and gender integration.
Grounded Risk Assessments Informing Policy and Delivery
IS-based flood risk maps were developed for 4 Rewa River tributaries, supporting prioritisation of site visits and funding allocation. In Tukuraki, a detailed post-relocation assessment supported new kitchen infrastructure planning that better accounts for vulnerable households and the daily constraints faced by women.
Strengthened Community Partnerships and Inclusion
The officer has facilitated community dialogue across Tailevu, Naitasiri and Yasawa, embedding inclusion of women, youth and people with disabilities into project design. A gender-responsive logframe was developed for the Yasawa programme, covering adaptation, mitigation, livelihoods and marine conservation.
Improved Strategic Alignment Across Government
Project proposals and concept notes now explicitly align with Fiji’s National Adaption Plan and National Determined Contribution, with proposals being reviewed by the Climate Change Division, relevant line ministries and sector stakeholders before submission.
Contribution to PDU Targets
As part of the PDU team, the officer is helping deliver on the target of 2 bankable proposals per month, providing both technical inputs and stakeholder coordination.
Why this Matters
The Climate Adaptation Officer plays a crucial role in advancing climate adaptation action at scale in Fiji. Their work directly supports the outcomes defined in the CFCSP’s Fiji Country Work Plan and Theory of Action by reducing delivery risk through risk-informed, bankable project proposals that lower implementation uncertainty and improve the targeting of adaptation outcomes. They help improve systems by introducing new templates, GIS tools, logframes and stakeholder review processes that strengthen the government’s project pipeline. The officer enhances coordination by ensuring that government departments, provincial councils and communities are actively engaged, while also building capacity by mentoring colleagues and communities in project development, proposal writing and adaptation monitoring.
What’s Next
Looking ahead, the officer will lead the submission of the full proposal for the Yasawa Islands Adaptation and Mitigation Programme and continue supporting the Rewa Delta Adaptation Fund proposal based on technical working group recommendations. They will also expand collaboration with the Ministry of Itaukei Affairs and the Ministry of Health for future adaptation activities, while strengthening GEDSI and monitoring and evaluation integration across all project proposals through updated templates and training. By helping turn national priorities into practical, community-aligned projects, the Climate Adaptation Officer bridges the gap between strategy and action, unlocking new climate finance opportunities and fostering a culture of inclusive, locally-grounded adaptation planning.