Fiji is intensifying efforts to address the global biodiversity finance gap, estimated at an alarming US$700 billion annually, as the country works to align national financing systems with international biodiversity targets under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
According to the Little Book on Investing in Nature, meeting the GBF’s ambitious goals will require countries to mobilise significant new resources, improve the efficiency of existing spending, and eliminate financial flows that harm biodiversity. The scale of the challenge demands transformative change across economies and societies.
In Fiji, the Biodiversity Finance Initiative II (BIOFIN) is leading national efforts to close this gap through innovative and sustainable financing solutions. Central to this work are two cornerstone assessments — the Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) and the Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER) — first developed in 2017 to analyse Fiji’s fiscal, policy and institutional frameworks, as well as biodiversity-related spending and financing gaps.
With global priorities evolving and national circumstances changing, the original reports are now being updated to ensure they remain relevant and actionable. To this end, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change have partnered to review and revise the PIR and BER, integrating updated recommendations into Fiji’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The process also aims to align Fiji’s biodiversity financing approach with the GBF and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The revised reports will form the foundation for the development of a Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP), a requirement under Target 19 of the GBF. The plan will identify Fiji’s national biodiversity finance gaps, propose measures to reduce harmful financial flows, and outline strategies to generate additional resources while improving spending efficiency.
A validation workshop, held from 12 to 15 January 2026, has brought together key stakeholders to review and endorse the updated PIR and BER, provide technical feedback, and agree on next steps towards government approval and implementation. The workshop is designed as a consultative platform to strengthen collaboration and ensure that proposed reforms align with both national priorities and global commitments. It will also pave the way for the next phase of work, including the Finance Needs Assessment (FNA) and the formal development of Fiji’s Biodiversity Finance Plan.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Mosese Bulitavu said Fiji must move beyond fragmented approaches to conservation financing.
“We cannot continue to protect biodiversity with fragmented projects and financial systems. BIOFIN is about fixing how Fiji plans, tracks, and governs biodiversity finance because without disciplined financing, conservation will always fall short of national development. This work is about ensuring that every dollar spent strengthens resilience, protects livelihoods, and delivers long-term value for our people and our economy," Bulitavu said.
UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Resident Representative Munkhtuya Altangerel said biodiversity underpins Fiji’s resilience and national identity but faces growing pressure.
“Biodiversity is the foundation of our food systems, our resilience, and our identity as a nation. Yet, it faces increasing pressure from habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, and climate change. Addressing these challenges requires more than good intentions; it requires finance strategies that are coherent, adequate, and aligned with national priorities," Altangerel said.
Beyond technical assessments, the BIOFIN workshop signals a broader commitment to communities that rely on healthy ecosystems for livelihoods, food security and protection from climate impacts.
By strengthening biodiversity finance planning and governance, Fiji is positioning nature at the heart of sustainable development — empowering communities today while safeguarding the country’s rich natural heritage for generations to come.
