SUVA — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $750,000 grant for an ongoing ADB-supported technical assistance program which is reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities to the impacts of climate change.
“The project is being supported by the Ireland Trust Fund for Building Climate Change and Disaster Resilience in Small Island Developing States and will help to pilot innovative community-led resilience approaches across many communities in Fiji which are at risk from the impacts of climate change,” said ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office Regional Director Aaron Batten.
The project will pilot at least 10 nature-based coastal protection activities across 10 villages to help build resilience against severe weather and climate events, and to protect livelihoods. This will include adopting integrated planning approaches that favor adaptive risk-based management approaches and consider the full spectrum of coastal resilience options.
Fiji’s Ministry of Economy will be the executing agency while the Ministry of Waterways and Environment will implement the program.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.