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Permanent Secretary for Environment Dr. Sivendra Michael warns that Fiji could lose approximately $675 million to climate-induced disasters over the next 50 years.

Speaking at an event organized by the Global Green Growth Institute, Dr. Michael highlighted that a recent World Bank report shows Fiji is currently losing about $71 million annually due to climate-induced disasters.

The workshop aimed to enhance local capacity and collaboration for effective climate adaptation planning in Fiji.

Dr. Michael acknowledged the institute for strengthening collaboration to further enhance resilience to climate change.

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He stated that the workshop and its focus are closely aligned with the Government’s efforts to ensure that public infrastructure and localized planning efforts in Fiji consider climate and disaster risks.

He further emphasized that the workshop helps ensure these risks are reflected and integrated into the design of public infrastructure, local planning processes, and construction guidelines.

Meanwhile, the GGGI has assured continued support in increasing climate resilience and facilitating the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan since last September through the GCF project ‘Mainstreaming Adaptation Planning at Local Level in Fiji.’

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GGGI’s Country Representative for Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu, Norbert Maass, expressed that while Fiji’s 2018 National Adaptation Plan outlines a total of 160 adaptation actions, there is a lack of local capacity for integrating adaptation into development planning.

Maass added that there is often an absence of clear guidelines for local climate financing of resilient investment projects.

He emphasized that the project aims to attract financing for adaptation investments by building capacity and implementing effective investment planning for resilience.

The Country Representative highlighted this will be accomplished through the development of investment plans and the completion of diagnostic and feasibility studies, which will guide the creation of concept notes for investment in local adaptation measures.