Fiji will receive a $31 million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) through the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and a $42 million ADB loan for its climate resilience projects and water and sanitation services respectively.

The funding was made as ADB announced its climate financing for the Pacific has doubled to over $500 million between 2017 and 2020, during climate change discussions in Fiji.

The two agreements were signed by ADB Vice-President Stephen Groff, Attorney General and Minister for Economy and Climate Change for Fiji, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and GCF Executive Director, Howard Bamsey.

Howard Bamsey said the funds would assist Fiji with critical projects.

“GCF financing will assist Fiji move the main water intake for Suva upstream to respond to increasing salt water intrusion.”

The project was one of the first approved by the GCF Board in 2015 and will be cofinanced by the European Investment Bank.

Bamsey said that the GCF has approved almost $280 million of investments for Pacific island countries including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

The ADB’s loan on the other hand will continue to improve water and sanitation for over 300,000 people in the greater Suva area, as well as ensuring critical infrastructures are climate resilient.

Sayed Khaiyum said the project takes into account the increase in population and the need for resilient infrastructure.

He further expressed Fiji’s appreciation for the financial and technical assistance by ADB and GCF and will be looking to secure more funding for similar projects.

“Access to financing for such projects, which consider adaptation and the effects of climate change, is a key objective for Fiji’s Presidency of COP 23.”

The UN Climate Change Conference, COP 23, will take place between 6-17 November in Bonn, Germany.