The National Climate Change Policy 2018-2030 (NCCP) outlines Fiji’s commitment to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. It aims to decarbonise the transport sector, promote mitigation strategies that support resilience, and conserve natural carbon sinks.

Complementing the policy is the Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) 2018-2050, which presents four economy-wide pathways toward net-zero emissions. Fiji submitted its first Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) in 2015, committing to a 30% reduction in emissions by 2030, focusing primarily on the energy sector. This commitment was reaffirmed in the Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020, where Fiji pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050. The updated target includes a 30% reduction from the Business-as-Usual (BAU) emissions scenario in the energy sector, with 10% to be achieved unconditionally using domestic resources, and 20% conditionally, depending on international support. Additionally, Fiji committed to a 40% reduction in domestic maritime emissions and reiterated the goal of achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2030.

To operationalise these targets, the NDC Implementation Roadmap (2017–2030) was developed. It provides a clear pathway for emissions reduction in the power generation, energy efficiency, and transport sectors, with actions categorized into short, medium, and long-term timelines.

National Inventory Report (Biennial Update Report)

As part of Fiji’s commitment under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement, Fiji is obligated to regularly report on its climate actions and GHGs emissions and emission reductions. Fiji has submitted its BUR containing an up to date national GHGs inventory report, including information on mitigation actions, support needed and received. Part 7 of the Climate Change Act (CCA) 2021 also mandates the Sectorial Permanent Secretaries to biennially estimate and compile data related emissions and emission reduction activities from within their portfolio and submit to the Lead Agency (Department of Climate Change).

Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) 

The Fiji Government signed the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) Project Cooperation Agreement on 24 January 2022 with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the implementing agency and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) as the co-executing agency. The CBIT project aims to strengthen capacity to ensure climate transparency reporting. The project will strengthen institutional arrangements for Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), develop Fiji’s GHG Inventory Systems, and establish Monitoring Reporting Verification (MRV) framework for climate actions and support.

National Carbon Markets Strategy Roadmap (NCMSR)

The strategy looks at opportunities, risk, and priority actions to help guide further policy development in Fiji and provides a basis for our interactions with new market-based opportunities. It was officially launched at COP 29 in Baku (November 2024), emphasising Fiji’s leadership in sustainable carbon market development. Since the launch of NCMSR, Fiji has made significant progress across the five strategic pillars outlined in the roadmap. The Department of Climate Change has expedited developing regulations under Part 10 of the Climate Change Act 2021 to operationalise carbon project processes, using a tranche approach focusing on priority areas and carbon sequestration property rights registration. Through collaborative workshop and consultation process with line ministries, consensus are being secured on key pending matters, and an information registry system will be developed to track project progress and status.

Development of Part 10 Regulations under the Climate Change Act 2021

The development of a robust legal framework to support engagement with international carbon markets, including through the legal recognition of carbon sequestration property rights as a new form of property right that attaches to land ownership and is transferable. The Ministry through technical assistance secured from the Asian Development Bank is currently in the process of developing the necessary regulations to bring ‘Part 10’ of the Climate Change Act (CCA) 2021 into force. Fiji has adopted a tranche approach and is developing the tranche 1 of Part 10 regulations under the CCA 2021, focusing on eight priority areas that establish the infrastructure for carbon market participation. The regulations prioritise the use of established international carbon standards, particularly the Verified Carbon Standard and Gold Standard, enabling Fiji to leverage existing methodologies and integrity frameworks while building domestic institutional capacity.

Climate Action Transparency (ICAT) Phase 2 Project

The ICAT phase 2 project focused on Agriculture sector and further expanded the Monitoring Reporting Verification (MRV) enhancements for the Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU) and Waste sectors. In the agriculture sector, a livestock survey was designed, developed and piloted for livestock data collection for the Extension Officers based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) data requirements for estimating emissions in the GHG inventories. In the IPPU sector, the project focused on mapping the data flows for hydrofluorocarbons from air conditioning and refrigeration, as well as reporting emissions under the Paris Agreement and the Kigali Amendment. In the Waste sector, the emphasis is on mapping solid waste management and determining the mitigation potential of biogas digesters in Fiji.

Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC3.0) 

Fiji submitted its Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC3.0) amid the worsening impacts of the climate crisis. NDC3.0 articulates our nation’s climate change objectives, priorities, needs, and opportunities for the next decade; 2025-2035. Global efforts to reduce GHG emissions remain critically insufficient in relation to the reductions required to meet the Paris Agreement’s core objective of limiting warming to 1.5°C. For Fiji, a Small Island Developing State on the front lines of this crisis, the potential breach of this agreed and scientifically based guardrail presents an unpreceded threat to our national security. Fiji’s NDC3.0 consists targets on Mitigation (Energy (including transport), Agriculture and Waste), Adaptation, Loss and Damage; and Oceans and ensures its commitments are both ambitious and achievable.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHG) Inventory Capability Building Programme for the Agricultural Sector – Fiji and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) Project

The GHG Inventory Capability Building Programme for the Agricultural Sector – Fiji is funded by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (NZMPI) in support of the Global Research Alliance on GHGs and it is co-executed by the Department of Climate Change (DoCC) of Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), Fiji Government and the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) supporting Fiji to increase its capacity in reporting Agricultural GHG emissions under the Paris Agreement. This project aimed to strengthen Fiji’s abilities to identify, plan and implement agricultural measures in line with Fiji’s NDCs targets.  As Tier 2 Agricultural GHG inventory is necessary to assess and track the effects of policies and measures, the specific objectives are firstly; to develop a Tier 2 GHG inventory for enteric fermentation from dairy cattle, other cattle and goat and manure management for swine and poultry. Secondly, to strengthen capacities of Fijian departments to compile, manage and report a Tier 2 inventory. Lastly, to support Fijian department to identify priorities and options for continuous improvement of the GHG inventory.

Supporting GHG inventories and livestock data development in Fiji with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in collaboration with Department of Climate Change and Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways (MoAW). The ACIAR project developed a Tier 2 MRV system for livestock in Fiji; build a pathway to integrate GHG mitigation from livestock into Fiji’s NDCs to provide a formal foundation for policy; and build Fiji’s capacity to continue to improve the national inventory and support policy development into the future.