21 September 2023, Suva, Fiji – As the Pacific increasingly looks to adapt to climate change, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) offer a proven and natural multi-value solution. The Project was officially launched at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) office in Suva. This project will be a key component of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) “Resilient Ecosystems for Climate Change Adaptation” (RECCA) initiative. IUCN is the leading partner with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), contributing as implementing partners.

“PPIN is a critical and timely step to scale up our efforts to address climate change through a pacific-way approach to NbS which will build from our traditional knowledge and sound science to inform our leaders and governments to develop their sector policies which will integrate the IUCN NbS standards to ensure societal and ecosystem benefits are achieved and bolster resilience in the Pacific region. We congratulate our regional partners GGGI, SPREP, and SPC for their support as we embark on this transformative initiative, we are committed to championing NbS as a practical and sustainable approach to safeguarding our precious ecosystems and communities” – Maria-Goreti Muavesi, Regional Director Ad interim IUCN ORO.

The four-year PPIN project seeks to support the development of policy and legislation for NbS, build awareness and capacity, and strengthen regional NbS cooperation amongst PICTS.

PPIN envisages building NbS awareness and capacity into regional and national policies and regulatory frameworks for key sectors in the anticipated demonstration countries of Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu. “PPIN holds great promise to transform how the Pacific region adapts to climate change. Over the course of the project, we aim to integrate Nature-Based Solutions into the very fabric of policies and regulations, ensuring that they become a cornerstone of resilience for Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, and the entire Oceania region” reiterated by Vinay Singh, IUCN NbS Programme Coordinator, and PPIN Project Manager.

Furthermore, the project aims to integrate NbS into regional platforms like the Pacific Resilience Partnership (PRP) and the Pacific Roundtable for Nature Conservation (PIRT) through NbS technical working groups to advise members and national governments on the effectiveness and importance of NbS in climate adaptation.

“ According to the UNFCCC, funding for NbS needs to triple by 2030 to avert the double crisis the world is facing of climate change and biodiversity destruction. The unique land and ocean ecosystems of the Pacific need smart, nature-based investment solutions to build resilience to climate change while meeting development objectives. This initiative will provide much-needed analysis on cost-effective, green infrastructure solutions” said Katerina Syngellakis, GGGI Managing Director for the Pacific. Under the project, GGGI will conduct a cost-benefit analysis of NbS versus business as usual in Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu. The analyses will provide a much-needed scientific economic case for NbS in the medium and long term, focusing on several key sectors identified as priorities by the countries during the co-design process.

Based on this analysis, GGGI will also develop an NbS investment strategy for the region focusing on the priority sector. This will explore various funding modalities like grants, loans, investments, and insurance and identify financing mechanisms for key NbS projects or sectors.

To facilitate project collaboration, GGGI and IUCN signed an Implementing Agreement in August 2023. This agreement is a first for GGGI and IUCN in the Pacific.