NEW pipeline of adaptation projects will help Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu and Vanuatu strengthen resilience to escalating climate impacts
June 2026 – As Pacific Island Countries confront accelerating climate impacts, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved four new climate adaptation projects through its Trust Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). The approvals will enable UNDP and the governments of Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Tuvalu and Vanuatu to develop initiatives that will help communities, critical infrastructure and ecosystems withstand flooding, sea-level rise, coastal erosion and other climate threats.
Together, the four projects represent approximately US$14 million in GEF grant financing, alongside more than $43 million in expected co-financing. The approvals enable the next stage of project development, providing the resources needed to prepare detailed technical studies, stakeholder consultations and project design before the proposals are submitted to the GEF for final approval.
The approvals come as climate change continues to intensify risks across the Pacific. The recently released Pacific Security Outlook Report 2026 identifies climate change as the region’s greatest security threat, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen resilience in communities already facing rising seas, more frequent extreme weather and other climate impacts.
The approvals also reflect growing international recognition of the Pacific’s adaptation priorities, coming as Fiji and Tuvalu prepare to host the 2026 Pre-COP and Leaders’ Event this October. The event will provide world leaders and negotiators with the opportunity to witness firsthand the impacts of climate change in the Pacific.
In Fiji, the proposed Climate Adaptation in the Rewa Delta (CARE) project will strengthen resilience in one of the country’s most flood-prone and economically important river catchments through climate-resilient infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, improved water management and stronger institutional capacity. The project will help safeguard communities, critical infrastructure and water resources in the Rewa Delta while creating a model for other vulnerable catchments.
In the FSM, the project will strengthen climate-informed early warning systems, last-mile communications and community preparedness across Kosrae State, selected outer islands in Pohnpei and priority locations in Yap and Chuuk. Building on existing disaster management investments, it will improve the reliability of warning systems and help vulnerable communities receive timely warnings and take early action ahead of climate-related hazards.
In Tuvalu, the Vaitupu Coastal Adaptation Project will reduce the growing risks posed by sea-level rise, wave-driven flooding and coastal erosion through hybrid nature-based and engineered coastal protection measures, while restoring ecosystems that provide critical natural coastal defences. The project will also strengthen local planning and community stewardship to support long-term resilience on one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable atoll nations.
In Vanuatu, the Sustainable Climate-Resilient Electric Power Systems (SCREPS) project will help climate-proof renewable energy infrastructure and strengthen the resilience of electricity systems to cyclones, flooding and other climate impacts. By integrating climate risk into energy planning and investment, the project will help ensure the country’s transition to renewable energy remains resilient as climate impacts intensify.
For UNDP, the approvals reinforce its longstanding partnership with Pacific governments to expand access to international climate finance through adaptation planning and the preparation of high-quality funding proposals.
They also highlight the continued importance of dedicated adaptation finance for countries on the frontlines of climate change. The SCCF provides a dedicated financing window for Small Island Developing States, while the LDCF remains the only multilateral climate fund exclusively focused on the adaptation needs of Least Developed Countries. Together, with support from the GEF Trust Fund, they help countries implement practical adaptation solutions that protect lives, livelihoods and development gains while advancing the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Over the coming months, UNDP will work with governments and partners to develop the projects through the Project Preparation Grant phase, ahead of their submission to the GEF for final approval.
