Project profile — Kiwa Initiative – nature-based solutions for climate resilience

• Oceania, regional (100.00%)

• Bio-diversity:
Bio-diversity (41030) (40.00%)
Environmental education/training (41081) (30.00%)
• Other Multisector: Disaster Risk Reduction (43060) (30.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (principal objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Biodiversity (principal objective)
• Climate Change Adaptation (principal objective)
• Urban issues (significant objective)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (significant objective)
• ICT as a tool for development (significant objective)

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.

Results achieved as of March 2024 include: (1) funded 22 projects (9 regional and 13 local) supporting nature-based solutions for climate adaptation, amounting to approximately $55 million. These projects benefit more than 10,689 people, including women (more than 4,000), with 5,721 hectares benefiting from biodiversity conservation and restoration, and 21,932 hectares benefiting from sustainable resource management; (2) improved capacities of more than 200 institutions, civil society organizations and government ministries in designing and implementing nature-based solutions for climate adaptation; (3) mobilized an additional $49 million to advance the work on climate adaptation and biodiversity in the Pacific Island countries; and (4) improved regional cooperation on biodiversity and climate change adaptation among donors and local stakeholders through the Kiwa Initiative’s regional and international events.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: Kiwa Initiative – nature-based solutions for climate resilience