Riya Mala 
[Photo: MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE/ FACEBOOK]
Fiji has renewed its commitment to protect its environment through the SAMBIO Fiji Project, which focuses on conserving marine and land biodiversity across the country.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change held the second Project Steering Committee meeting last week .
Government officials, technical experts, and development partners came together to review progress and plan activities for 2026–2027.
A key decision from the meeting was to continue work on establishing new protected areas across eight important sites in Fiji.
These include five land areas like Greater Delaikoro, Natewa-Tunuloa, Nakauvadra Range, Greater Tomaniivi, and Nakorotubu Range and three marine areas such as the Lau Seascape, Ringgold Islands, and Kadavu Island.
The project will also improve how these areas are managed and support policies and funding that help long-term conservation and benefit local communities.
The meeting was chaired by the Department of Environment and attended by several partners, including the Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture, iTaukei Affairs, National Trust of Fiji, NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, BirdLife International, Conservation International–Fiji, the University of the South Pacific, and the Global Environment Facility.
Officials say the SAMBIO project is important for meeting Fiji’s national and international biodiversity goals and protecting its unique environment for the future.
