Riya Mala 
Climate change is becoming a major challenge for the people of Fiji, affecting their lives, wellbeing, and the economy.
Lead Consultant for the Fiji Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan, Nicholas Pilgrim, stressed that it is important to think seriously about climate-proofing infrastructure.
He adds that rural areas are particularly vulnerable, as they already face challenges with funding and maintaining assets for sustainability. He adds that there is now the added burden of figuring out how to finance climate-proofing.
“Their global strategy is now geared towards climate resilience. This means carrying out climate risk and vulnerability assessments and hazard mapping to clearly identify the rural areas impacted by different hazards as a first step.”
Pilgrim says that in order to address these challenges, the Fiji Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan will play a critical role in guiding sustainable water and sanitation solutions across the country.
He adds that the plan includes major components such as financing strategies and the collection of relevant data to inform decision-making.
He says that the plan also aims to ensure that infrastructure is resilient to climate impacts, assets are maintained sustainably, and resources are used efficiently to meet the growing needs of rural communities.
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