Fiji advances efforts to align climate finance with national priorities ahead of COP30.
Climate finance continues to fall short of what Pacific countries need to respond to escalating climate risks. Across the region, the pace of funding has not kept up with the urgency of rising seas, stronger storms, and shifting livelihoods. For countries like Fiji, this limits progress on critical priorities from strengthening infrastructure and supporting community relocations to advancing renewable energy and sustainable food systems. The shortfall also deepens reliance on external assistance at a time when Pacific leaders are calling for greater control over how climate finance is accessed, managed, and used to drive national resilience.
To help close this gap, more than forty representatives from Fiji’s government ministries, state-owned enterprises, and private sector gathered in Suva from 13–14 October 2025 for the Climate Finance Knowledge Exchange, a two-day workshop focused on strengthening national systems to mobilise and manage climate finance more effectively.
Jointly organised by Fiji’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN), the Pacific Community (SPC), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the event brought together officers from ten ministries, the Fiji Development Bank, the Reserve Bank of Fiji, and other private sector partners.
The discussions centred on how Fiji can align its national priorities with global climate finance reforms ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where discussions will focus on the USD 300 billion provisional and the USD 1.3 trillion mobilisation goal under the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance.
Opening the exchange, Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change Dr Sivendra Michael reminded participants that for Fiji, climate finance is a daily reality, not an abstract concept.
“It is the foundation that allows us to safeguard livelihoods, protect sovereignty, and transition from vulnerability to opportunity”.
Over two days, participants worked through case studies on project design, financing instruments, and proposal development. The sessions focused on aligning national priorities with investment readiness and improving Fiji’s ability to access multilateral and bilateral funds.
Mr Kunal Singh, Climate Finance Access Network Advisor (Fiji) with SPC’s Climate Change and Sustainability Division, said the workshop was about building long-term national capacity and strategic partnerships.
“This exchange is helping to build a shared understanding of what effective climate finance looks like in practice. By bringing together ministries, banks and businesses, we are strengthening the systems and partnerships that can turn national priorities into bankable projects. It is about embedding climate finance into Fiji’s development framework so that solutions are driven by Pacific capacity and science.”
The sessions highlighted how partnerships can turn technical coordination into real progress. Through joint exercises and peer learning, participants examined how public–private collaboration can improve project design, diversify funding sources, and align national systems with regional finance mechanisms. The discussions also reflected a growing recognition that regional cooperation through initiatives such as the Climate Finance Access and Mobilisation Strategy being key to strengthening the Pacific’s collective ability to access and manage climate finance efficiently.
Representing the PIFS, Mr Karlos Lee Moresi, Programme Adviser & Team Leader, Climate Finance & Resilience, said the initiative reflected the region’s determination to ensure that every dollar of climate finance delivers measurable resilience.
“This dialogue shows the power of partnership. Strengthening the connection between government and private sector is essential to ensure finance translates into tangible outcomes for our people and our planet”.
Through SPC’s CFU supports Pacific Island Countries and Territories access and mobilise climate finance in the region.
As the Pacific prepares for COP30, Fiji’s efforts illustrate a broader regional shift from dependence on external expertise to building local systems that can plan, access, and manage finance with confidence. Through initiatives like this, SPC and its partners are helping countries translate global commitments into practical, home-grown solutions that strengthen resilience where it matters most.
For more information:
Kunal Singh, Climate Finance Access Network Advisor (Fiji) Climate Change and Sustainability Division, Pacific Community (SPC) [email protected]
Sunayna Nandini, Information and Communications Officer, Climate Change and Sustainability Division, Pacific Community (SPC) [email protected]