May 2025
Summary Statement
With support from the Climate Finance Capacity Support Programme (CFCSP) a Special Adviser for Climate Action embedded in the Fiji Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) is delivering high-level policy advice, strategic coordination and institutional strengthening across government. The Adviser is enabling the implementation of Fiji’s Climate Change Act, enhancing climate finance governance and supporting Fiji’s national and international engagement on climate issues.
Context and Challenge
Fiji’s governance for climate action has undergone significant reform with the passage of the 2021 Climate Change Act and the creation of the standalone MECC in 2024. While the new ministry has strong political leadership and technical expertise, delivering on its expanded coordination mandate requires strategic support to align policy, legislation and international engagement across government.
The Special Adviser for Climate Action position was re-established in 2024 to support this transition, offering cross-cutting advisory support to the Permanent Secretary, senior leadership and the Climate Change Division (CCD). The Adviser helps operationalise complex legislative and policy reforms, supports cabinet processes, strengthens whole-of-government coordination and MECC leadership, and ensures that Fiji’s international engagement reflects the country’s ambitious goals for increasing global action.
Intervention
The Adviser’s support spans the following 4 workstreams:
1. Strategic Policy and Legislative Advice
- Technical briefs and legal analysis on the 13 of the 17 Parts of the Climate Change Act.
- Strategic advice to align donor support, policy statements and work plans with Climate Change Act provisions.
- Support to the CCD in aligning adaptation and mitigation project proposals with legal mandates.
2. High-Level Government Engagement and Coordination
- Advisory support for cabinet papers, budget inputs and briefings for the Prime Minister and Ministers.
- Coordination with central agencies such as the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Public Works.
- Direct engagement in the National Climate Change Coordination Committee (NCCCC) process.
3. Climate Finance and Donor Management
- Development of a cabinet paper proposing a revised national approach to climate finance.
- Strategic review of 10 years of climate finance data and delivery mechanisms.
- Technical input on donor proposals and financing agreements, including loss and damage proposals.
4. International Representation and Diplomacy
- Drafting 48+ speeches and briefs for COP29, including support to the Minister of Finance.
- Representation on legal drafting committees (such as the Pacific Resilience Facility).
- Support for Fiji’s participation in Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting, Green Climate Fund regional meetings, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations.
Early Signs of Positive Change
The Special Adviser for Climate Action has helped drive several key improvements in Fiji’s climate work. They led the development of a revised national climate finance strategy and important legislative changes, which were approved by Cabinet, to strengthen how the Climate Change Act is put into action. By working closely with the Permanent Secretary and new leadership in the CCD, the Adviser has improved how the Ministry’s environmental and climate units work together, setting up new planning tools and clearer meeting processes. Internationally, the Adviser provided technical support that helped Fiji’s delegation play a strong role in key negotiations at COP29, particularly in the New Collective Quantified Goal talks, ensuring that ministers were well prepared on Fiji’s priority issues. At home, the Adviser’s work has strengthened coordination across ministries, making the NCCCC and climate finance discussions more strategic and inclusive. The Adviser also helped prepare Fiji’s proposal to Denmark for loss and damage funding, with a focus on agriculture and food security, reflecting a shift toward more rights-based and community-focused climate action.
Why this Matters
The Special Adviser for Climate Action is providing government-wide support that is critical to strengthening Fiji’s ability to deliver on its climate commitments. By clarifying legislation, policy mandates and coordination structures, the Adviser helps reduce delivery risks and ensures that climate actions are legally sound and well-aligned across ministries. They are improving national systems through enhanced strategic planning, cabinet-level integration, and legal interpretation, which supports more effective decision-making and policy execution. The Adviser has also strengthened coordination within and across government and with development partners, while building capacity at both political and technical levels through mentoring, document reviews, and preparation of key briefings. Acting as a strategic bridge between policy and action, the Adviser ensures that Fiji’s climate leadership is supported by strong governance, legal compliance, and clear, well-communicated priorities — helping the government achieve tangible, lasting outcomes.
What’s Next
Looking ahead, the Special Adviser for Climate Action will continue supporting the finalisation of implementation guidance for the Climate Change Act and help develop internal KPIs and compliance tracking tools for MECC. They will also assist in preparing ministerial statements and negotiation materials for COP30 and work to further integrate gender equality and community priorities into national policy processes. The Adviser plays a unique and highly strategic role in driving systems change in Fiji, strengthening leadership, embedding policy coherence and guiding key reforms to ensure that the MECC is equipped to meet Fiji’s climate challenges.