Port Vila, Vanuatu, July 9 2025 – The Government of Vanuatu, through the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) and the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) as an implementing partner of the Regional Pacific Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Hub, successfully convened an Inception Workshop to initiate the development of bankable proposals under the Forest Sector NDC Investment Strategy. The workshop brought together key stakeholders from government, the private sector, development partners, and civil society engaged in the forestry sector.

This inception workshop marks as a critical step forward in the implementation of Vanuatu’s Forest Sector NDC Investment Strategy, officially launched in April 2025. The workshop aimed to refine and advance priority project concepts into bankable proposals that will support Vanuatu’s climate mitigation and adaptation goals under the Paris Agreement.

Participants engaged in technical presentations, facilitated discussions, and collaborative sessions to align project ideas with potential funding pathways. 

The Vanuatu Government, through the Department of Forests and Department of Climate Change, has prioritized the transformation of concept notes outlined in the strategy into fully developed proposals ready for funding. The four priority areas identified are: 

• Afforestation/Reforestation (ARR): Expanding Forest coverage to enhance carbon sequestration
• Restoration: Rehabilitating degraded forest landscapes to strengthen resilience and biodiversity
• Agroforestry: Integrating trees and crops for sustainable land management and economic benefits 
• Forest Information and Monitoring System (NFIS): Establishing a national system to track forest-related data for informed decision-making 

Mr. Nelson Kalo, Acting Director of the Department of Climate Change, expressed strong institutional support for the development of the bankable proposals and highlighted the importance of targeted financing. He mentioned, “Forestry-related mitigation investments will generate great wins at many levels for Vanuatu, given that multiple adaptation co-benefits will be derived from the interventions selected for the sector”.  Mr. Kalo further stated that “this work is an added pathway to Vanuatu’s NDCs, and the project will support the country in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD+), through implementation of activities beyond.”   He looks forward to the final outputs of this process, which will allow mobilization of resources and get tangible forest activities implemented on the ground. 

Representing GGGI Vanuatu’s Deputy Country Representative Mr. Arrabothu Dheeraj, Ms. Rebecca Bogiri, Technical Climate Finance Officer, added: “The Inception Workshop marks an important step forward. It is more than a discussion-it is a commitment to implement a strategy that is practical, implementable, and locally owned. We are now moving from planning to action; transforming concept notes into robust, bankable project proposals that can attract the climate finance Vanuatu needs and deserves.” Ms. Bogiri also emphasised GGGI’s unwavering commitment to work with the Vanuatu Government and partners to unlock climate finance and accelerate inclusive green growth. 

Vanuatu continues to demonstrate regional leadership and ambition in climate action, strategically positioning its forestry sector as a cornerstone of sustainable development, resilience building, and environmental stewardship. This collaborative effort between the Government of Vanuatu, GGGI, and the Regional Pacific NDC Hub aims to finalize and deliver four bankable project proposals under the Forest Sector NDC Investment Strategy by January 2026. 

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