Fiji’s Updated Nationally Determined Contribution

Fiji’s Updated Nationally Determined Contribution Introduction The Fijian Government is committed to the full, effective and transparent implementation of the Paris Agreement in accordance with its provisions and the relevant Decisions of the Conference of the Parties to the United Na tions Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA). Fiji hereby communicates to the UNFCCC: An update to its existing Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) pursu ant to Article 4.11 of the Paris Agreement that includes:  a reaffirmation of its 2030 target;  a commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050;  up-front information to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding;  a commitment to enact its Climate Change Bill by 2021; and  a commitment to operationalise its National Adaptation Plan. Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 2 1. Information to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding of Fiji’s NDC 1. Quantified information on the reference point, including, as appropriate, a base year a) Reference year(s), base year(s), reference peri od(s) or other starting point(s) Base year: 2013 b) Quantifiable information on the reference indica tors, their values in the reference year(s), base year(s), reference peri od(s) or other starting point(s), and, as applica ble, in the target year Base-year emissions were estimated at 1500 kilo tonnes of carbon dioxide (kTCO2 e). The baseline scenario projects energy sector emissions to reach 2,341 kTCO2 e by 2030. Fiji’s emissions peak will be demonstrated in the nation al greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory time series reported in its Biennial Update Report 2022. c) For strategies, plans and actions referred to in Ar ticle 4, paragraph 6, of the Paris Agreement, or polices and measures as components of nationally determined contributions where paragraph 1(b) above is not applicable, Parties to provide other relevant information Fiji will undertake a range of actions concerning the sectors not covered by its quantitative commitments. These include the following: Long Term Decarbonisation Plans and mobilisation of Climate Finance In the Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) (2018-2050),1 which is an economy-wide decarbonisa tion plan, Fiji has identified mitigation options for major sectors of the economy and has assessed the costs of these mitigation actions to inform sectoral plans and future NDCs. Fiji will operationalise its decarbonisation ambitions by implementing its NDC Investment Plan that is targeted towards creating a strong business case for mobilising new and additional climate finance. Creating an Enabling Environment for Decarbonisa tion Ambitions 1 Fiji Low Emission Development Strategy 2018-2050 https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Fiji Low%20Emission%20Development%20%20Strategy%202018%20-%202050.pdf Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 3 Consistent with the LEDS priorities, several important ongoing projects in the Agriculture, Waste and Forestry sectors are contributing to GHG emissions reductions, carbon sequestration, and enhanced climate resilience. Over the period of this NDC, Fiji will work on creating an enabling environment for sectorial decarbonisation and reporting initiatives through the enactment and op erationalization of its Climate Change Bill in 2021. Catalysing Sustainable Production and Consumption for holistic climate action Fiji has introduced a single-use plastic ban from 1 Janu ary 2020 that entails a ban on the importation, manufac ture, distribution and use of single-use plastic bags. Commencing from 1 January 2021, Fiji will also impose a ban on the importation and export of Polystyrene products. From 1 August 2021, this will also entail a ban on the manufacture, distribution and use of polystyrene. This is being enacted through the Environment Man agement Act (2005).2 d) Target relative to the reference indicator, ex pressed numerically, for example in percentage or amount of reduction 30% of BAU CO2 emissions from the energy sector by 2030. Absolute reduction as compared to reference year emissions. Of the 30% reduction of BAU baseline CO2 emissions, 10% will be achieved “unconditionally” using available resources in the country and 20% achieved “conditional ly”. e) Information on sources of data used in quantifying the reference point(s) Baseline data was compiled and provided by the Fiji Revenue and Customs Services, Fiji Bureau of Statistics and Energy Fiji Limited. f) Information on the cir cumstances under which the Party may update the values of the reference indicators. Fiji may update the reference indicator to account for improvement in data collection in the Biennial Update Report 2022. 2 Environment Management Act 2005 http://www.parliament.gov.fj/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Bill-No.-42-Environment-Management-Amendment-Bill-2020.pdf Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 4 2. Time frames and/or periods for implementation a) Time frame and/or period for implementation, in cluding start and end date, consistent with any further relevant decision adopted by the Confer ence of the Parties serv ing as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA); Start date: 2021 End date: 2030 b) Whether it is a single year or multi-year target, as applicable. Single- year target 3. Scope and Coverage a) General description of the target; Fiji’s 2015 NDC has the following mitigation targets: Target 1: To reduce 30% of BAU CO2 emissions from the energy sector by 2030. Target 2: As a contribution to Target 1, to reach close to 100% renewable energy power generation (grid connected) by 2030, thus reducing an expected 20% of energy sector CO2 emissions under a BAU scenario. Target 3: As a contribution to Target 1, to reduce ener gy sector CO2 emissions by 10% through energy effi ciency improvements economy-wide, implicitly in the transport, industry, and electricity demand-side sub sectors. In this update, Fiji also commits to: Target 4: As a contribution to Target 1, to reduce do mestic maritime shipping emissions by 40%. Adaptation Target Target 5: To adopt Climate Smart Agriculture practices, with emphasis on the promotion of sustainable practices in crop management, livestock and sugarcane farming Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 5 and fisheries. Target 6: To enhance resilience by upgrading, repairing and relocating existing critical public infrastructure. Target 7: Develop simplified and standardised early warning and monitoring systems, and prioritise nature based solutions to mitigate the impact of flooding and cyclones. Target 8: Relocate highly vulnerable communities, and implement the concept of ‘build back better’. Target 9: Build strong healthcare system by implement ing the ‘Guidelines for climate-resilient and environ mentally sustainable health care facilities in Fiji’. Target 10: To conserve natural environment and biodi versity wealth enabling sustainable long-term provision of ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration potential. Target 11: To plant 30 million trees by 2035. Target 12: To establish 30% of our Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) as Marine Protected Areas and work to wards 100% management of our EEZ by 2030 through the implementation of the National Ocean Policy. b) Sectors, gases, categories and pools covered by the nationally determined contribution, including, as applicable, consistent with IPCC guidelines; Fiji’s NDC is specific to the energy sector in terms of a GHG (greenhouse gas) baseline due to it being the sin gle-largest emissions source in 2013 (reference year). The mitigation actions identified within the energy sec tor are split between the following sub-sectors as articu lated in Fiji’s NDC Implementation Roadmap: • Electricity Generation and Transmission • Demand-Side Energy Efficiency • Transport (Land and Maritime) In this update, Fiji also increases its scope to include the Oceans sector recognising it as a significant carbon sink. Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 6 Greenhouse gases covered are: Carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitrous oxide (N2O) and Methane (CH4). c) How the Party has taken into consideration para graphs 31(c) and (d) of decision 1/CP.21; While Fiji has conducted a detailed assessment of the mitigation options for all its sectors in the LEDS, it is noted that the data needed to rigorously assess the im pact of policies and actions on emissions in other sectors is not available and must be developed over time. Furthermore, the current scope of the NDC is pertinent on the scarce capacity to assess and monitor economy wide emissions. This is in part due to the methodological clarifications, including data uncertainty and availability and lack of relevant monitoring, reporting and verifica tions systems. In light of Fiji’s national circumstances, data collection, modelling, coordination processes and building capacities are long-term tasks that must take place over an extended period with the support of na tional, regional and international partners. d) Mitigation co-benefits resulting from Parties’ adaptation actions and/or economic diversification plans, including descrip tion of specific projects, measures and initiatives of Parties’ adaptation ac tions and/or economic diversification plans. Fiji sees this NDC update as an opportunity to further support its commitment towards the Paris Agreement by mainstreaming its blue economy ambitions in to its NDC targets through enhanced ocean governance to not only achieve national ocean conservation but also contribute towards enhancing the ocean as a carbon sink. As such, Fiji through its National Ocean Policy, will be allocating 30% of its EEZ as Marine Protected Areas and work towards 100% management of its EEZ by 2030. This compliments Fiji’s National Adaptation Plan3 concur rently its Low Emission Development Strategy, which highlights the need to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems, strengthen their resili ence, and restore them when they are degraded. This includes conserving ocean reservoirs as carbon sinks through supporting the restoration, enhancement and conservation of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, sea grasses and coral reefs. 3 Republic of Fiji National Adaptation Plan https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/NAPC/Documents/Parties/National%20Adaptation%20Plan Fiji.pdf Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 7 4. Planning Process a) Information on the planning processes that the Party undertook to prepare its NDC and, if available, on the Party’s implementation plans, including, as appropriate: i. Domestic institutional arrangements, public par ticipation and engage ment with local commu nities and indigenous peoples, in a gender responsive manner; The Climate Change and International Cooperation Di vision (CCICD) of the Ministry of Economy is the re sponsible national agency for addressing climate change policy issues in Fiji. The CCICD is guided by the Na tional Climate Change Policy (NCCP)4 and works in collaboration with government agencies, non governmental organizations, regional and international agencies and development partners. CCICD is responsi ble for preparing national reports to the UNFCCC in cooperation with other national stakeholders. It was also the lead agency for preparing and submitting the initial NDC under the Paris Agreement. The Low Emission Development Strategy Steering Committee is a coordination mechanism established for the development of Fiji’s Low Emissions Development Strategy. It comprises of Senior Government Officials from relevant Ministries and Public Utilities. The Com mittee was convened to validate this NDC Update and is envisaged to be an established body under Fiji’s Climate Change Bill to oversee the NDC revision process as part of the institutional arrangement for current and future NDCs. This NDC Update was prepared by taking into account Fiji’s national circumstances, challenges and opportuni ties for mitigation. In the planning phase from 2015 to 2020, Fiji has developed its NDC Implementation Roadmap, the Low Emission Development Strategy and the National Adaptation Plan through inclusive stake 4 Republic of Fiji, National Climate Change Policy https://www.economy.gov.fj/images/CCIC/uploads/General/FIJI-National-Climate-Change-Policy-2018-2030-FINAL.pdf Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 8 holder consultations and is now in the process of finalis ing the NDC Investment Plan and Projects Pipeline, Fiji’s Technology Needs Assessment, SDG7 Roadmap and the review of the Fiji Energy Policy in collaboration and consultation with industry stakeholders, academic experts, local NGO groups, and technical consultants. These key stakeholders provide additional inputs on available and future technologies for long term mitiga tion and adaptation actions in Fiji. Gender considerations: The NDC planning process was guided by the principle of gender-responsiveness as articulated in the National Climate Change Policy. The Policy emphasises and makes a specific call to ensure that all approaches and methods for adaptation and miti gation are guided by the consideration of gender issues, support improved gender-balance in both the decision making processes and related implementation arrange ments, promote gender-equitable benefits, and achieve outcomes which ensure that gender is a key considera tion when programming finance and capacity-building. ii. Contextual matters, including, inter alia, as appropriate: a) National circumstances, such as geography, cli mate, economy, sustaina ble development and poverty eradication; Fiji is a tropical island country located in the Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean and comprises of 332 islands scattered across roughly 1.3 million km2 of ocean that is declared as its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Among its vast archipelago, Viti Levu (10,429 km2) and Vanua Levu (5,556 km2) are the two largest islands and major inhabited regions, comprising of 87% of the land area (18,333 km2). The total estimated population as per the 2017 National Census is 884,887 of which 55.9% reside in urban areas and 44.1% in rural areas. These islands are volcanic in nature and are mostly dominated by steep mountainous terrains. Fiji is located between 15 and 22 South latitude and 175 East and 178 West longitudes and thus experiences an oceanic tropical climate where the daily average temperature is constant at about 25 degrees Celsius. The country has an estimated GDP of US$5.5 billion, with US$5,800 per capita GDP wherein tourism is the most important sector and accounts for Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 9 more than 25% of the GDP. The country has faced adverse climate impacts, such as stronger storms, rising seas, and changing weather pat terns. Fiji was struck by the Southern Hemisphere’s strongest-ever storm, Cyclone Winston, in 2016, which resulted in estimated damages amounting to US$0.9 billion, including US$0.6 billion in damage and US$0.3 billion in losses representing one third of the total GDP (Republic of Fiji, 2020). Due to the COVID-19 crisis, Fiji’s economy is expected to shrink by approximately 20% in 2020, with the tourism sector facing the full brunt of the pandemic-induced travel restrictions. As a result, around 118,500 people are jobless. b) Best practices and expe rience related to the preparation of the nation ally determined contribu tion; Fiji has built wealth of knowledge and experience in developing new strategies in climate change adaptation and mitigation. The NDC Implementation Roadmap, National Adaptation Plan, Low Emission Development Strategy, Displacement Guidelines, Planned Relocation Guidelines, Climate Vulnerability Assessment and the revised Climate Change Policy 2018-2030 help main stream and build momentum for the operationalization of Fiji’s NDC commitment nationally, as well as estab lish a knowledge base and institutional coordination for the NDC planning process. Furthermore, these processes have helped strengthen the evidence base by building political and public support for climate action nationally and enhancing the credibility of Fiji’s strong climate leadership internationally. c) Other contextual aspira tions and priorities acknowledged when join ing the Paris Agreement; Fiji is committed to reduce GHG emissions and recog nises that this will require significant capacity building, technology transfer and finance. Fiji has made steady progress in putting in place appro priate strategies for meeting its adaptation needs and mitigation ambitions, however significant challenges remain in mobilising the resources necessary to imple ment its planned adaptation and mitigation measures. As a small island developing state, Fiji has limited financial resources for climate actions, a situation exacerbated by Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 10 the significant economic losses Fiji incurs through sud den onsets of climate change such as cyclones and storm surges. Hence the scale of investments needed for neces sary adaptation and mitigation measures outpaces Fiji’s current ability to finance the transformational change envisioned for a sustainable, inclusive, resilient and low carbon economy. d) Specific information applicable to Parties, in cluding regional econom ic integration organiza tions and their member States, that have reached an agreement to act joint ly under Article 4, para graph 2, of the Paris Agreement, including the Parties that agreed to act jointly and the terms of the agreement, in accord ance with Article 4, para graphs 16–18, of the Par is Agreement; N/A e) How the Party’s prepara tion of its NDC has been informed by the out comes of the global stocktake, in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 9, of the Paris Agree ment; As the President of COP23, Fiji led and championed the Talanoa Dialogue in COP23 and COP24, which generat ed political momentum for enhanced climate action, including calling for Parties to the Paris Agreement to update their NDCs. The preparation of Fiji’s enhanced NDC was informed by the recommendations of the Ta lanoa Call for Action, taking into account Fiji’s national circumstances. The collaborative approach of the Talanoa Dialogue was adopted to develop this NDC Update by building on the guiding questions of where are we?, where do we want to go? and how do we get there?. This experience is valuable and would provide guidance for processes to wards the global stocktake scheduled for 2023. Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 11 f) Each Party with an NDC under Article 4 of the Paris Agreement that consists of ad aptation action and/or economic diversification plans resulting in mitigation co benefits consistent with Article 4, paragraph 7, of the Paris Agreement to submit in formation on: i. How the economic and social consequences of response measures have been considered in de veloping the NDC; Fiji has considered all social, economic, and environ mental impacts of its domestic mitigation measures through the development processes of its NDC Imple mentation Roadmap, the Low Emission Development Strategy, and the National Adaptation Plan. These as pects have also been taken into consideration in the de velopment of the NDC Investment Plan and Project Pipelines. ii. Specific projects, measures and activities to be implemented to con tribute to mitigation co benefits, including in formation on adaptation plans that also yield miti gation co-benefits, which may cover, but are not limited to, key sectors, such as energy, re sources, water resources, coastal resources, human settlements and urban planning, agriculture and forestry; and economic diversification actions, which may cover, but are not limited to, sectors such as manufacturing and industry, energy and mining, transport and communication, con struction, tourism, real estate, agriculture and fisheries. See Adaptation Component below. Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 12 5. Assumptions and methodological approaches, including those for estimating and accounting for anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and, as appropriate, re movals: a) Assumptions and meth odological approaches used for accounting for anthropogenic green house gas emissions and removals corresponding to the Party’s nationally determined contribution, consistent with decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 31, and accounting guidance adopted by the CMA; Fiji will account for its anthropogenic GHG emissions and removals using the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. b) Assumptions and meth odological approaches used for accounting for the implementation of policies and measures or strategies in the national ly determined contribu tion; Fiji will apply specific assumptions and methodologies, where relevant, when reporting on various policies and measures in its Biennial Update Report or Biennial Transparency Report. c) If applicable, information on how the Party will take into account existing methods and guidance under the Convention to account for anthropogen ic emissions and remov als, in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 14, of the Paris Agreement, as appropriate; See 5(a) above. d) IPCC methodologies and metrics used for estimat ing anthropogenic green house gas emissions and removals; Fiji’s emissions for CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, SF6 and NF3 will be derived using the 2006 IPCC Guidelines and the IPCC 2013 Wetland supplement. The tier of methodology used will depend on the data that is availa ble in different sectors. Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 13 The aggregation of GHG emissions have been estimated, and will be reported, using the 100-year time-horizon global warming potential values from the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report. e) Sector-, category- or activity-specific assumptions, methodologies and approaches consistent with IPCC guidance, as appropriate, including, as applicable: i. Approach to addressing emissions and subsequent removals from natural disturbances on managed lands; N/A ii. ii. Approach used to ac count for emissions and removals from harvested wood products; N/A iii. iii. Approach used to ad dress the effects of age class structure in forests; N/A f) Other assumptions and methodological approaches used for understanding the na tionally determined contribution and, if applicable, estimating corresponding emis sions and removals, including: i. How the reference indi cators, baseline(s) and/or reference level(s), includ ing, where applicable, sector-, category- or ac tivity-specific reference levels, are constructed, including, for example, key parameters, assump tions, definitions, meth odologies, data sources and models used; The NEXSTEP methodology was adopted in the energy sector emissions estimation for three major gases – CO2, N2O and CH4, displayed as the carbon dioxide equiva lent (CO2-e). The emission has been estimated using the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) tool where total amount of fuel used (either in the demand side or in the supply side) is multiplied by the total environmental loading taken from LEAP’s Technology and Environ mental Database which uses 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories and any further refinements and updates applied to these inventories. The emissions presented used Global Warming Potential on 100-year horizon, at the point of emissions. Emission projection This is based on the base year data (in this case 2018) and growth in GDP, population and urbanization. See below for the set of assumptions. Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 14 Assumptions  GDP in 2018 is US$ 8.53 billion (constant 2011 dollar), GDP growth rate is projected at 3.5% per year.  Population in 2018 is 884,887, population growth is projected at 0.6% per year.  Household size is assumed constant throughout the analysis period at 4.61 people per household. This corresponds to a total of 191,911 household in 2018.  Urbanization rate is 56.9% in 2018 and is expected to increase to 61% by 2030. ii. For Parties with national ly determined contribu tions that contain non greenhouse-gas compo nents, information on as sumptions and methodo logical approaches used in relation to those com ponents, as applicable; Energy Generation mix data obtained from Energy Fiji Limited which can be monitored on an annual basis for share of Renewable Energy Generation. iii. For climate forcers in cluded in nationally de termined contributions not covered by IPCC guidelines, information on how the climate forc ers are estimated; N/A iv. Further technical infor mation, as necessary; N/A g) The intention to use vol untary cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, if applicable. Fiji recognises the role of international market-based cooperation in facilitating, expediting and enhancing technology development and transfer, capacity building and access to financial resources to support low carbon and climate resilient efforts. Fiji will explore the poten tial of bilateral, regional and multilateral market-based cooperation, including in the context of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to support the achievement of its own NDC and to provide additional mitigation outcomes to support NDC attainment by other countries. Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 15 6. How the Party considers that its NDC is fair and ambitious in light of its national circumstances a) How the Party considers that its nationally deter mined contribution is fair and ambitious in the light of its national circum stances; Fiji is committed to leading by example in reaching net zero carbon emissions despite its negligible contribution of 0.006% to global GHG emissions. In this NDC up date, Fiji seeks to demonstrate its commitment to deliv ering on its climate action plans to help translate an al ready ambitious target into on-the -ground implementa tion. Furthermore, this NDC update recognises that the cost of implementing this target currently stands at US$ 2.97 billion between 2017 -20305. This is an exorbitant financial challenge compounded by competing adapta tion and disaster risk challenges the country faces, all of which are exacerbated by the COVID19 economic crisis. b) Fairness considerations, including reflecting on equity; c) How the Party has ad dressed Article 4, para graph 3, of the Paris Agreement; Fiji’s updated NDC reflects a commitment to economy wide net-zero emissions by 2050. Through its Low Emission Development Strategy, Fiji has mapped out a low carbon pathway for each of its sectors. To achieve this core objective, the Low Emission Development Strategy has elaborated four possible low emission sce narios for each sector including electricity and other energy use, land transport, domestic maritime transport, domestic air transport, agriculture, forestry and other land use, coastal wetlands and waste. The Strategy esti mates that Fiji’s emissions would more than double un der the “business as usual (BAU)” unconditional scenar io, grow incrementally under the BAU Conditional sce nario, drop by nearly 31% under the High Ambition scenario and achieve net negative emissions during the year 2041 under the Very High Ambition scenario. d) d. How the Party has addressed Article 4, par agraph 4, of the Paris Agreement; e) How the Party has ad dressed Article 4, para graph 6, of the Paris Agreement. 7. How the NDC contributes towards achieving the objectives of the Convention as set out in its Article 2 a) How the nationally de termined contribution contributes towards achieving the objective of the Convention as set out in its Article 2; Developing a long-term strategy and vision on sector transformation through the Low Emission Development Strategy has helped establish a clear understanding of the low carbon transition pathway ahead and provides a longer-term perspective for raising the ambition of NDC. Fiji considers this as a stepping-stone towards 5 Fiji NDC Implementation Roadmap (2018-2030) https://www.economy.gov.fj/images/CCIC/uploads/Mitigation/FIJI-NDC-IMPLEMENTATION-ROADMAP LOWRES.pdf Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 16 carbon neutrality by 2050. Additionally, Fiji’s response to climate change will be enabled, in part, through the Climate Change Bill to improve consistency of practices to reduce GHG emis sions in line with the NDC and the 2050 pathway as well as reduce risks to people and to the environment. Fiji’s Climate Change Bill will help to improve the scope, enforcement, and value-added potential of the use of standards as a way to adjust business-as-usual behav iours and instigate behaviour change. The Climate Change Bill will also set precedence for other nations to embed their NDC commitments into national law. The intent to enact the Climate Change Bill further reinforces Fiji's commitment to mitigate its carbon emissions and play a leading role in global and regional climate change advocacy. b) How the nationally de termined contribution contributes towards Arti cle 2, paragraph 1(a), and Article 4, paragraph 1, of the Paris Agreement. 2. Fiji’s Adaptation Component of the NDC Update 2.1 Background According to the IPCC Special Report, the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, which was released in 2019, climate adaptation is expected to be signif icantly more challenging for ecosystems, food and health systems at 2°C of glob al warming above the pre-industrial age than for 1.5°C (medium confidence). Even if global warming is limited to 1.5°C, vulnerable regions, including the Small Island Developing States, are projected to experience a multitude of inter related climate risks, resulting in loss of livelihoods, food insecurity and large scale population displacement. Fiji recognises this reality, as it lies on the front line of adverse climate change impacts and will be facing some of the most se vere climate-related challenges in the coming decade. These range from pro longed droughts, changes in the hydrological cycle resulting in intense floods, and extreme weather events, to rising sea levels and its resultant saltwater intru sion and loss of habitable land. This has already led to partial and complete relo cation of six climate vulnerable communities, with many more regions in the country being threatened by similar consequences. The impacts of climate change are affecting all aspects of life for Fijians - the environment, economy, social development, as well as cultural practices and Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 17 traditional ways of life. Fiji is facing loss and degradation of vital ecosystems and natural resources, including its coral reefs, coasts and catchments, on which key sectors of its economy such as agriculture and fisheries are dependant. Further, its critical infrastructure- including electricity and water stations, schools and hospitals – are frequently damaged by the increasing extreme weather events, which are impacting the social well-being, employment and livelihoods of the Fijian people. 2.2 Quantifying Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Needs In 2017, Fiji completed its comprehensive Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA)6 of the country and economy, on the basis of which it identified priority focus areas to be addressed through climate adaptation measures. The CVA pro jected that by 2050, over 6.5 per cent of Fiji’s GDP could be lost due to tropical cyclones and floods, with the number of people being pushed into poverty every year increasing by 25 per cent. In addition, long-term climate change will affect health in Fiji, with impacts including rise in vector-borne diseases (such as den gue fever), water-borne diseases and non-communicable diseases which are sen sitive to temperatures (such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases). To build the requisite domestic capacity, Fiji is committed to taking proactive steps to reduce its vulnerability and enhance the resilience of its communities, environment and economy. This is being done through developing policies, insti tutions and budgetary systems for mobilising resources toward climate change and disaster risk management, including a focus on developing domestic capaci ties and on transparent communication and robust monitoring systems so as to 6 Climate Vulnerability Assessment, 2017 Fiji’s Climate Vulnerability Assessment The CVA provides a blueprint for urgent climate actions and quantifies the resources needed to climate-proof Fiji. To mitigate climate impact, the CVA proposed 125 interventions in five key areas, aligned with Fiji’s development plans and goals, to improve the resilience capacity of the country. These focus areas were integrated to be addressed under the National Adaptation Plan through measures such as risk-informed land use planning and housing policies, developing resilient infrastructure, climate smart adaptation in agriculture and fishery sectors, environmental protection and conservation of key ecosystems and the protection of vulnerable population through targeted gender interventions. https://www.economy.gov.fj/images/CCIC/uploads/Adaptation/Fiji-Climate-Vulnerability-Assessment.pdf Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 18 ensure equity, justice, inclusion, transparency, and accountability in all climate actions. 2.3 Holistic Approach to Mainstreaming Adaptation and Resilience Fiji’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which was launched in 2018, focuses on shifting existing and future development planning processes towards a holistic pathway of climate-resilience. The initiatives encapsulated in the NAP, are well aligned with the requirements for enhancing adaptation actions in Fiji’s NDC, especially as these were based on the insights garnered from the CVA, which in its turn entailed a comprehensive mapping of on-the-ground issues. Further, the NAP was the result of extensive inter-ministerial deliberations with multi stakeholder engagements and inputs of technical experts from the private sector, civil society and academia, and sub-national Government representatives, making the measures listed under it robust and with potential of being effectively imple mented. 2.4 Fiji’s Commitment to Adaptation Actions with Mitigation Co-benefits Fiji’s inherent vulnerability to climate induced disaster is exacerbated by the growing impacts of climate change which threaten to negate years of develop ment progress. Transitioning towards a low carbon economy and achieving the decarbonisation targets of this NDC Update will require substantial resource mobilisation for climate adaptation. Investments in climate adaptation now will not only help ensure that investments in renewable solutions are sustainable and resilient to Fiji’s National Adaptation Plan The NAP contains 160 adaptation measures to be prioritised over its five-year time frame, split across a total of 10 components. This entails five systems components which are required to instigate a paradigm shift and create an enabling environment for increase investment flows to adaptation and an addtional five sectoral components which are actions for addressing the vulnerability of society and the economy to the impacts of climate change. Under its NAP process, Fiji envisions three additional stages to ensure effectiveness of its planned adaptations measures. These are the development of a monitoring and evaluation system, the development of a communication plan and the forumaltion of a financing plan. Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 19 climate adversities but also lower the inherently high risk of doing business in the Pacific. In this regard, Fiji commits to the following adaptation actions in this NDC Up date: 1. Climate change is a shared responsibility and Fiji will make efforts to mobilize domestic and new investments toward sustainable development pathways by following an evaluation and learning-based approach, with a focus on building synergies and bridging its internal capacity and resource gaps. 2. Fiji will promote sustainable and resilient development by enabling key stakeholders at the national and sub-national levels and strengthening the role of its local government bodies to make informed decisions regarding the use of natural resources. 3. To enhance the adaptive capacity of its economy and communities, Fiji will endeavour to produce and make accessible reliable, robust, and updated climate information, including projections for impacts of climate change. 4. Fiji will take measures to ensure that public infrastructure is resilient to cyclones and floods, prioritizing nature-based economically viable solutions, and developing future infrastructure and building projects while keeping in mind the effects of climate change. 5. Fiji will undertake measures under a comprehensive and integrated water resource management approach to conserve and enhance the productivity of its freshwater sources and ensure their judicious and equitable use. 6. Fiji will prioritize the conservation and protection of its marine biodiversity and critical ocean ecosystems. This would include measures for promoting sustainable fishing practices, coastal protection, preservation, and enhancement of its mangroves, and engaging with coastal communities to promote sustainable practices and livelihoods. 7. Fiji will ensure that comprehensive multi-hazard and risk assessments are conducted to inform the planning and development of climate-resilient human settlements. 8. Fiji will focus on mitigating and protecting all Fijians from the worst effects of natural disasters by ensuring that the housing stock (both existing and Fiji’s Updated NDC 2020 20 future) is strengthened to withstand extreme events and that climate-resilient upgrading of informal settlements is prioritised. 9. Fiji commits to strengthening the resilience of its agriculture sector to ensure national food security, and to diversify the dependence on the sector by promoting sustainable livelihood opportunities. 10. Fiji will imbibe its traditional values of respecting and living within nature’s limits, in its future development plans in the context of its financial, technical, and social capacities, and develop robust legislative measures to protect and conserve the vulnerable species and ecosystems. 11. Fiji will take appropriate steps to protect its social infrastructure against climate change and prioritise gender, disability, and the needs of the children and elderly in disaster management and in climate action. 3. CONCLUSION Fiji has successfully analysed the lessons learned since the submission of the first NDC and has explored a number of options for enhancement, with an eye to wards ambition. Fiji has involved various stakeholders in comprehensively designing its mitiga tion plans and adaptation measures, along with exploring opportunities in new sectors such as oceans, nature-based solutions linked to biodiversity protection, and health, among others. However, the brutal economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has placed serious fiscal pressure on Fiji. As a direct result, Fiji’s ability to fund sustainable development, including resilience-building and the pursuit of carbon neutrality, has been severely handicapped. The strategy, however, is clear. Fiji has managed to outlay a suite of comprehen sive mitigation and adaptation measures across multiple sectors which now re quire large scale resource mobilisation, rapid technology transfer to lower costs and increase viability; robust monitoring and evaluation systems to enable con tinuous improvements and dynamic communications plans to build climate awareness for the full implementation of its necessary climate adaptation plans and mitigation ambitions.