THE Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and Conservation International (CI) have signed a five-year agreement aimed at strengthening nature conservation and climate resilience across the Pacific.
The memorandum of understanding was signed during the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau by SPREP Director-General Sefanaia Nawadra and Conservation International chief executive Dr Sebastian Troëng.
It combines SPREP’s regional mandate across 26 Pacific island countries and territories with CI’s expertise in biodiversity conservation, science, sustainable finance and locally led conservation.
The organisations will work together on Pacific-led responses to climate change, biodiversity loss and mounting pressure on marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
“The Pacific’s future depends on protecting the natural systems that sustain our communities, cultures and economies,” Nawadra said.
He said the partnership would strengthen support for Pacific countries and communities pursuing their environmental priorities through science, innovation and locally driven action.
The region’s coral reefs, forests, coastal wetlands and vast ocean territories support food security, livelihoods and cultural identity but are increasingly threatened by climate change, habitat loss and unsustainable development.
Troëng said Pacific communities had long been leaders in conservation, drawing on generations of Indigenous knowledge and traditional stewardship.
“By combining SPREP’s regional leadership with Conservation International’s conservation science, technical expertise and global partnerships, we can help scale solutions that protect biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience and support sustainable futures for Pacific peoples,” he said.
The partnership will support regional initiatives including the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas 2026–2030 and the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific. SPREP and CI will develop a joint work programme, review progress regularly and identify collaborative projects. They will also seek investment for nature-based solutions intended to protect ecosystems, strengthen livelihoods and build resilience across the region.
