Suva, Fiji November 28, 2025 – Twelve Fijian communities are now driving their own climate adaptation solutions, following a two-day workshop led by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, supported by the Climate Finance Capacity Support Programme funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. The workshop supported the national initiative to ensure climate projects respond directly to the needs of the people most affected. 

The Workshop on Project Ideation for Locally Led Adaptation Projects brought together community leaders, provincial officials, government ministries, and technical experts to co-design concept notes that reflect community priorities. This workshop builds on GGGI’s support for these twelve communities in developing Integrated Village Development Plans (IVDPs), which capture locally identified adaptation and development priorities informed by technical diagnostics and vulnerability assessments.

“Climate change is no longer a distant threat, it is lived and experienced daily in our villages, farms, and coastal communities,” said Ms. Keresi Tuimanono, Senior Adaptation Officer at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. “The greatest impacts are felt at the community level, so the most meaningful solutions must begin there. These projects cannot be designed from Suva. They must come from those who know which land is washing away, which farms are failing, which riverbanks are flooding faster, and what solutions will truly work. When communities lead the design, the project becomes more than a document, it becomes their pathway to resilience.” 

Over the course of two days, participants translated IVDP priorities into concrete locally led adaptation project concepts, focusing on nature-based solutions for flood management, water security, and climate-resilient livelihoods. The process also integrated Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and environmental and social safeguards to ensure inclusive and sustainable outcomes.

“This workshop represents an important transition from integrating adaptation considerations into policy frameworks to mobilizing climate finance and taking action on the ground,” said Mr. Trevor Galgal, Readiness Program Officer at GGGI Pacific. “It is a bottom-up, community-driven process that connects policy to practical action. By bringing communities into the heart of project design, we are ensuring that climate solutions are not only relevant and feasible but truly owned and driven by the people most affected.” 

The workshop brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including Turaga-ni-Koro and Marama-ni-Koro leaders, women and youth groups, natural resource committees, provincial councils, and national government partners.

Mr. Sakaia Bolabola, Matani Tikina of Nabuna (Koro Island) in Lomaiviti, expressed gratitude on behalf of the communities: “I would like to thank the GGGI team for their dedication to this project and for bringing together 12 communities to develop our Integrated Village Development Plans. I also extend my sincere thanks to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs for their unwavering support in this important initiative.” 

With communities now leading the development of adaptation project concepts, the next phase will focus on refining these concept notes and preparing them for donors and financiers, ensuring Fiji’s climate resilience is built from the ground up, by the people who know their land and vulnerabilities best. 

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For more information, visit:  https://gggi.org  

GGGI Pacific (Regional Office) 

Kelly Vacala, Regional Communications & Knowledge Sharing Lead | kelly.vacala@gggi.org