Reef to Community: Sustaining Conservation

Investment in Coral Reefs & Blue Economy Programme led by the United Nations Development Programme co-funded by Joint Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Fund & the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, aims to counter unprecedented threats to coral reefs such as climate change, pollution and overfishing. The projects aim to conserve ecosystems while also harnessing their economic potential through effective community engagement and providing blended finance solutions

In Fiji, through multi-stakeholder collaboration among local community and government departments, a partnership has been established between the new Fiji Shark Lab, Galoa Village in Serua, Fiji’s Ministry of Fisheries and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office. This further ensures integration of conservation efforts with socio-economic development.

Fiji is also home to close to four percent of the world’s coral reefs and over 65,000 hectares of mangroves that make up some of the many features of the country’s rich marine biodiversity. Therefore, it is imperative to invest in the protection of coral reefs, as healthy reefs are fundamental to the prosperity of coastal communities and their economies.