Kiwa Initiative – nature-based solutions for climate resilience

The Pacific Island Countries are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to their proximity to the ocean and their reliance on it for resources and transportation. The well-being and livelihoods of Pacific Island populations particularly the poorest who are heavily dependent on land and marine biodiversity are severely impacted. The Kiwa Initiative works towards strengthening the climate-change resilience of Pacific Island ecosystems economies and communities by promoting and supporting nature-based solutions for adaptation to climate change. This project aims to make Pacific Islands ecosystems economies and communities particularly Indigenous women more resilient to the impacts of climate change. 2 regional organizations the Pacific Community and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and International Union for Nature Conservation implement this initiative through its regional Oceania Office based in Suva Fiji. The Kiwa Initiative - nature-based solutions for climate resilience is a 7-year (2020 to 2027) $116 million multi-donor Pan-Pacific regional initiative funded by Canada ($16M) France ($61M) the European Union ($30MM) Australia ($2.71M) and New Zealand ($4.49M).

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) strengthened capacities of local and national authorities and civil society organizations to design and implement small-to large-scale biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation projects; (2) strengthened biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation at local national and regional levels; and (3) improved regional cooperation between donors regional agencies and national authorities on rights-based gender-sensitive biodiversity and climate change adaptation projects.