UK strengthens support to Pacific communities on climate crisis
New UK funding will support communities across the Pacific, helping them prepare for extreme weather, protect vital ecosystems and build long‑term resilience.
New UK funding will support communities across the Pacific on the frontline of the climate crisis, helping them prepare for extreme weather, protect vital ecosystems and build long‑term resilience.
Pacific Island countries are already facing the impacts of rising sea levels, stronger storms and growing pressure on food, livelihoods and natural resources. Working in partnership with Pacific governments, regional organisations and local communities, the UK’s new support will focus on practical, locally led action that helps people anticipate climate shocks, respond more quickly when disasters strike, and recover faster.
The new funding of £14 million builds on the UK’s long‑standing work across the Pacific through its flagship climate adaptation programme, Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA). Through CARA, the UK is supporting community‑focused projects across the region, including nature‑based solutions, stronger food systems, ocean protection and local preparedness, with initiatives under way in countries such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.
UK Minister for the Indo‑Pacific Seema Malhotra said:
Pacific Island countries are on the frontline of the climate crisis.
We’re investing in Pacific communities so that they can become more resilient to extreme weather, better protect the ecosystems they depend on and generate sustainable growth.
Our modern approach to development is all about backing effective, locally led solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change.
UK funding is also helping to unlock wider sources of climate finance, including through embedded climate finance advisors in Pacific governments to strengthen Pacific countries’ ability to access and absorb funding. The UK has already supported the Pacific’s first blue bond in Fiji, raising FJD 100 million for initiatives that support sustainable livelihoods, including the establishment of four marine protected areas and an aquaculture food security programme benefiting nearly 400 farmers.
The new funding will also strengthen disaster preparedness, including improved weather forecasting and early warning systems delivered by the UK Met Office in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). This helps communities and authorities act earlier to protect lives and livelihoods. Regional disaster risk insurance is also supporting faster recovery after major climate‑related disasters, reducing long‑term economic impacts.
Together with New Zealand, the UK has already committed £23.9 million through a blended finance initiative designed to mobilise up to $100 million in private investment. This is supporting renewable energy projects across the region, reducing reliance on imported diesel and strengthening energy security.