FIJI has called for greater investment in blue carbon initiatives, with Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya urging easier access to climate finance for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Tabuya said healthy oceans were critical to Fiji’s future, with nearly nine in 10 Fijians living along the coast and thousands relying on marine resources for their livelihoods.
“Strong community engagement and equitable benefit-sharing arrangements are essential to ensure long-term success and local ownership,” she said.
Tabuya was speaking at the Blue Carbon Financing and Investments session during the Accelerating Integrated Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific forum in Bangkok, Thailand.
She highlighted Fiji’s commitment to sustainably managing 100 per cent of its ocean and fully protecting at least 30 per cent by 2030 through the National Ocean Policy, Blue Economy Framework and the Climate Change Act 2021.
And she also called for financing mechanisms that are simpler, more accessible and better suited to the realities of SIDS.
“Continued partnerships with development partners and regional organisations will be critical to strengthening capacity and mobilising sustainable finance,” Tabuya said.
She added that Fiji is advancing its national carbon market framework to support high-integrity blue carbon projects while exploring blended financing approaches that combine public, private and climate finance to scale up restoration efforts.
