9 Nov 2015

Fiji gets $31M climate grant

8:22 pm on 9 November 2015
Water is a precious resource in the Pacific Islands.

Water is a precious resource in the Pacific Islands. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades

The UN's Green Climate Fund has approved a US$31 million climate adaptation grant for a planned urban water Supply and wastewater project in Fiji.

The US$222 million dollar project is expected to be financed by the GCF grant as well as a nearly US$68 million loan from the Asian Development Bank and other sources.

It will benefit a third of the country's population of 860,000.

The project, which is subject to ADB Board approval, will build new infrastructure to increase clean water supplies by 20 percent and boost wastewater treatment capacity by 200 percent in the greater Suva area.

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainmarama says the fact that Fiji is the first Pacific Island country to receive such a grant shows the country's commitment to building resilience to climate change and working with development partners to address the phenomenon.