Landmark funding to protect benefits of tuna against climate change
Tuna is critical for both food and economic security in Small Island Developing States in the Pacific
Fololina Avia, received an ADB funded small business grant to expand her "Lady Edwina" fishing company and stall at the Apia fish market. Copyright: Asian Development Bank/ Flickr Creative Commons
A significant grant of US$107 million dollars has been awarded to the Conservation International and the Pacific Community to support 14 Pacific countries including Niue.
The funding aims to protect the economic and social benefits derived from tuna fisheries and to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
In a media release last week by the Pacific Community, the historic Green Climate Fund grant – which represents one of the largest climate funding grants ever to the Pacific region – has also attracted US$49.3 million in co-finance.
The total value of the programme is US$156.8 million and will support Pacific countries in adapting to the impacts of ocean warming on the tuna stocks.
Niue’s Natural Resources Minister and Pacific Political Climate Change Champion on Gender, Equity and Social Inclusion- Hon. Mona Ainu’u said these has been a historic announcement.
“This landmark funding ensures our communities can continue relying on tuna as an essential source of food, revenue, and cultural value, by adapting now, we can protect our people’s livelihoods and strengthen our resilience to climate change.”
Tuna is critical for both food and economic security in Small Island Developing States in the Pacific. Collectively, the tuna industry supports tens of thousands of jobs in the region and, for nine of these countries, fees associated with tuna-fishing access alone provide an average of 34% of government revenue.
The 14 Pacific island countries include Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
