A new project, funded by the Government of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, aims to promote the integration and application of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in the Pacific region. The project is being implemented by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), The Pacific Community, Global Green Growth Institute, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The Pacific region faces significant environmental and societal challenges, including climate change, natural disasters, and food security concerns. NbS offer a promising approach to address these challenges while also benefiting people and nature.
“Nature-based solutions are essential for building the resilience of our Pacific communities,” said Ms. Utulei Lui, PPIN Project Coordinator for SPREP. “By protecting and restoring ecosystems, we can address a range of environmental and social challenges.”
The project will focus on supporting the development of policies and legislation for NbS in Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu. It will also strengthen regional and national awareness and capacity on NbS through targeted capacity building programs.
The project will be integrated into existing regional platforms, such as the Pacific Resilience Partnership and the Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation. This will ensure that NbS are considered and implemented across various sectors in the Pacific region.
“Nature-based solutions are crucial to building the resilience of our Pacific communities and ecosystems, and ought to be promoted and used more widely within the region as a viable option to tackling environmental and social challenges,” Ms. Lui says.
“The many benefits and services provided by ecosystems can help our communities respond to the impacts of climate change, natural disasters, and water and food security. Through the PPIN project, we want to promote the increased integration and application of NbS into policies and legislation within the three target countries and beyond to ensure that our people can benefit from a protected and healthy environment that, in turn, protects us and future generations.”
