Riya Bhagwan 
[Photo: Riya Bhagwan]
Fiji has policies to support nature-based solutions to support climate resilience, but the processes needed to turn them into funded projects remain a major challenge.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Dr. Sivendra Michael says Fiji’s policy framework is already in place, including the Climate Change Act,
National Ocean Policy and National Adaptation Plan.
However, the bigger challenge lies in the systems used to approve and fund projects.
He states that nature-based solutions must be assessed alongside conventional infrastructure when government considers investments to address climate risks.
This includes measures such as mangrove restoration and riparian buffers being considered alongside infrastructure such as seawalls.
Dr Michael adds that nature-based solutions need to progress from individual projects into government budget allocations, sector plans and public investment assessments.
“The architecture is not the problem. It’s the processes that sit beneath it.”
He says this shift is particularly important as Fiji continues to invest in major infrastructure to address flooding and other climate-related risks.
