IUCN Oceania

01/09/2026

🌿 Four years of partnership, learning and collective action culminated in Nadi, Fiji, as we wrapped up the Promoting Pacific Islands Nature-based Solutions (PPIN) Project Closing Workshop.

Day 2 brought together representatives from Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu, alongside IUCN Oceania, Pacific-Community-SPC, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme - SPREP, GGGI Pacific and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to reflect on the application and future of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in the Pacific. Conversations looked beyond the life of the project to an important question: how do we move NbS from individual projects towards becoming part of mainstream policy, planning, financing and development across our region?

The workshop concluded with a visit to Yavusania Village in Nadi, bringing the discussions from the conference room into a community setting and providing an opportunity to learn about locally appropriate Nature-based Solutions for riverbank protection and resilience. The visit reinforced the importance of community participation, local knowledge and stewardship in ensuring solutions are sustained over time.

As formally draws to a close, its legacy is about much more than the completion of a four-year project. Since 2022, the partnership has worked to strengthen the enabling conditions for Pacific-led NbS through policy, capacity development, economic and financial evidence, regional cooperation and practical knowledge.

The next chapter is about taking those foundations forward — transitioning from demonstration to scale, from projects to development systems, and towards sustained investment in nature as a foundation for resilient Pacific communities, economies and ecosystems.

Vinaka vakalevu to the Governments and representatives of Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu, our implementing partners SPC, SPREP and GGGI, and the New Zealand Government through MFAT for supporting this journey. We also acknowledge the communities, practitioners, technical experts and partners whose knowledge, commitment and leadership have shaped PPIN over the past four years.

The project may be closing, but the work does not end here. The journey now is to ensure that Nature-based Solutions become part of how the Pacific plans, invests and builds resilience for generations to come.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4r9nynv

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27/08/2026

Yesterday marked Day 1 of the Closing Workshop for the Promoting Pacific Islands Nature-based Solutions (PPIN) project in Nadi, Fiji, bringing together government representatives and partners to reflect on four years of collective efforts to advance Nature-based Solutions (NbS) across the Pacific.

Representatives from Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu joined IUCN Oceania, the Pacific-Community-SPC, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme - SPREP, GGGI Pacific and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to reflect on the journey, share lessons and consider how the knowledge, partnerships and approaches developed through the project can continue beyond its conclusion.

Discussions highlighted an important message: the closing of PPIN is also a transition. As Pacific Island countries confront the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and growing pressures on communities and ecosystems, there is a need to move Nature-based Solutions beyond individual projects and increasingly embed them within policy, planning, investment and development decisions.

As Day 1 concluded, partners looked ahead to how the foundations established through PPIN can support stronger Pacific-led action — bringing together Pacific knowledge and stewardship, science, policy, capacity and sustainable finance to build more resilient communities, economies and ecosystems.

🤝 Vinaka vakalevu to our government partners from Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu; SPC, SPREP and GGGI; and the New Zealand Government through MFAT for the partnership and commitment that have shaped the PPIN journey.

The conversation continues as we look beyond PPIN and from demonstration to scale.

🌊🌱

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme - SPREP; Pacific-Community-SPC; GGGI Pacific; Fiji Ministry of Environment and Climate Change ; Ministry of Climate Change Vanuatu

17/08/2026

🪸 Overharvesting of marine resources and climate change threaten a critical livelihood source for the people of Marauiapa Island in Guadalcanal Province, . As part of an ongoing Kiwa Initiative local project, community members are implementing (NbS), such as coral reef and mangrove restoration, to restore critical fisheries resources.

The Fisheries Division of the Guadalcanal Provincial Government is helping women, youths and people with disabilities enhance their knowledge and establish coral and mangrove nurseries through capacity-building workshops and planting activities.

By the end of May this year, a total of 10 coral nurseries were set up with more to come. The project aims to restore 2 hectares of mangroves and 4 hectares of corals in selected sites for replanting.

🌊 Across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, climate-impacted communities are rising to the challenge and taking action. From creating awareness on ecosystem degradation to improving management of marine resources, they are strengthening resilience and building sustainable livelihoods.

🔗 To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/45w6u0U

🌿 Follow IUCN Oceania for more Kiwa Initiative local project updates.

European Union in the Pacific; AFD - Agence Française de Développement; Canada’s International Trade - Global Affairs Canada; Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Pacific-Community-SPC; Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme - SPREP

11/08/2026

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09/08/2026

This , we recognise Indigenous midwifery: knowledge held and passed on by Indigenous women that has safeguarded the continuity of Indigenous life and well-being.

Indigenous midwifery is deeply connected to conservation — it reflects a holistic way of understanding and nurturing life, in which the well-being of people and nature is one and the same.

IUCN Director General Dr Grethel Aguilar said: "the same ancestral knowledge that guides midwives' traditions also manifests in the way Indigenous Peoples care for lands, waters, forests and all their relations."

In different parts of the world, midwives in numerous Indigenous communities cultivate herbal gardens and collect medicinal plants from community forests, using those to support women in labour and aid postpartum recovery.

IUCN calls on the global community to join us in recognising and protecting Indigenous knowledge systems — with midwives serving as powerful examples of how traditional knowledge is preserved and passed on across generations.

Read the full statement from IUCN Director General, Grethel Aguilar: https://info.iucn.org/4z28Dii

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06/08/2026

🌏 This International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on August 9, we recognise communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste creating sustainable, to climate change impacts in collaboration with the Kiwa Initiative local projects component.

In Palau, Ebiil Society Inc. is working to support women fishers on Babeldaob Island to restore sea cucumber and giant clam stocks, enhance sustainable production practices, and improve women’s involvement in fisheries.

RELOKA, Foundation Re-Inventing Local Production, a Kiwa grantee in Timor-Leste, is equipping local community members with climate-resilient gardening skills and helping women develop natural dye resources for income generation.

From protecting marine resources in Palau to strengthening climate-resilient livelihoods in Timor-Leste, these initiatives demonstrate the powerful role Indigenous Peoples play in nature conservation.

By supporting traditional knowledge, leadership and stewardship, IUCN Oceania and the Kiwa Initiative are contributing to a more resilient future where both people and nature thrive.

🌊 🌿 🤝

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4hcQasX

Follow this page for more updates on Kiwa Initiative local projects across the region.

European Union in the Pacific; AFD - Agence Française de Développement; Canada’s International Trade - Global Affairs Canada; Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Pacific-Community-SPC; Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme - SPREP

30/07/2026

🌱 Exciting update from !

Babeldaob Island in Palau is home to Lake Ngardok, the largest freshwater lake in all of Micronesia and critical water resource for local residents. It is one of 10 pilot sites under the Resilient Babeldaob local project supported by the Kiwa Initiative. The project aims to strengthen climate resilience through local and state-led interventions.

During a recent visit with Palau Conservation Society (PCS), the IUCN Oceania Kiwa team saw at two sites within Ngardok Nature Reserve results of efforts to manage invasive reed species, plant native trees, and monitor watershed activity. At a third site in Ngermedelim– a marine area – plans are in place to restore sea cucumber and clam populations.

PCS is working closely with local communities and youths to safeguard and restore important ecosystems facing challenges with intense rainfall, erosion, sedimentation and decline. This work not only addresses climate-related risks but also supports traditional knowledge sharing and social cohesion.

🌊 🌿 🤝

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4wxZTyE

Follow this page to see more in action!

European Union in the Pacific; AFD - Agence Française de Développement; Canada’s International Trade - Global Affairs Canada; Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Pacific-Community-SPC; Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme - SPREP

28/07/2026

🌿 Regional Director Susana Waqainabete recently had the privilege of paying courtesy calls on the Ambassador of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, H.E. Junior Aini, the High Commissioner of the Solomon Islands, H.E. Joseph Ma'ahanua, and the Pacific Ocean Envoy to COP31, Hon. Inia Seruiratu respectively, reaffirming IUCN Oceania's shared commitment to advancing nature conservation and sustainable development across the Oceania region.

These engagements provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on key environmental priorities facing the Pacific, including biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, ocean governance and strengthening regional collaboration. Discussions also highlighted the importance of science-based decision-making, partnerships and collective action in addressing the challenges facing Pacific communities and ecosystems.

IUCN values these opportunities to strengthen relationships with governments and regional leaders as we continue working together towards a resilient Pacific where people and nature thrive. We thank our distinguished State Members for their time, insights and continued commitment to safeguarding the region's unique natural heritage for present and future generations.

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25/07/2026

🌿 Mangroves are among the world's most valuable ecosystems. They protect our coastlines, store carbon, improve water quality, support marine life, and sustain the livelihoods of millions of people.

By restoring and protecting mangroves today, we are investing in a healthier, safer, and more resilient future for both people and nature.

Happy World Mangroves Day from IUCN Oceania

💚🌊

24/07/2026

🌊 has taken an important step towards shaping a future where renewable energy and marine conservation go hand in hand.

Government representatives, technical experts and partners recently came together in Funafuti for a consultation and inception workshop on biodiversity policy guidance and marine renewable energy, delivered under the EESLI Project with support from the Government of Austria. The workshop reaffirmed a shared commitment to ensuring that future marine renewable energy development is guided by science, biodiversity conservation and the needs of Tuvalu's communities.

Over two days, participants explored how marine renewable energy could support Tuvalu's future while protecting its ocean, biodiversity and cultural heritage. The workshop highlighted the importance of working together, drawing on traditional knowledge and community perspectives, and strengthening existing systems to help guide sustainable planning.

By developing a draft national roadmap and identifying priority biodiversity safeguards, the workshop laid a strong foundation for balancing clean energy ambitions with the long-term protection of Tuvalu's unique marine environment. IUCN Oceania is proud to continue working alongside its State Member, the Government of Tuvalu, the Government of Austria and national partners to support a resilient, sustainable future where both people and nature can thrive.

🌿🤝 🇹🇻