The Pacific’s first costed carbon market plan sets a pathway to Fiji’s first international carbon trade by 2030, with communities and resource owners at the centre
Nadi, Fiji | Monday, 5 October 2026
The Government of Fiji today launched its Five-Year Costed Carbon Market Plan (2026–2030) on the opening day of the Pacific Pre-COP31 in Nadi, setting out how the country will build the systems it needs to participate in international carbon markets and attract new climate finance.
Costed at FJ$5.2 million, the Plan sets out the regulatory, technical and institutional systems Fiji must establish before it can make its first international carbon trade under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It sequences this work over five years, with the aim of completing that first trade by 2030, and gives Fiji a clear basis for mobilising the further support required.
Developed by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry and Conservation International, the Plan aligns with Fiji’s National Carbon Market Strategy Roadmap and the objective to create a transparent, equitable and high-integrity carbon market that supports climate-resilient development in Fiji.
International carbon markets allow countries to generate and trade verified emissions reductions. For Fiji, this could open new sources of international climate finance for renewable energy, sustainable forestry, better waste management, resilient livelihoods and the protection of natural ecosystems.
Minister for Rural, Maritime Development and Disaster Risk Management Hon. Mosese Bulitavu said carbon markets must deliver benefits that go well beyond the trade itself.
“For Fiji, carbon markets must be about more than trading carbon. They must deliver real climate action, unlock new and sustainable sources of climate finance, and ensure that the benefits reach our communities and resource owners.
“This Five-Year Costed Carbon Market Plan gives Fiji a clear pathway to build a transparent, high-integrity system that protects our national interests while opening new opportunities for investment in renewable energy and in our forests, mangroves and other natural ecosystems.
“As a Small Island Developing State on the frontlines of climate change, Fiji cannot afford to wait for climate finance to come to us. We must position ourselves to access it. This Plan is about putting the right systems, safeguards and partnerships in place so that Fiji can participate confidently in international carbon markets while ensuring our people remain at the heart of the benefits.”
The Plan builds on Fiji’s Climate Change Act 2021 and the National Carbon Market Strategy Roadmap, and identifies opportunities across energy, transport, agriculture, waste and forestry.
It places strong emphasis on nature-based solutions – forests, mangroves, wetlands and other ecosystems that capture and store carbon.
The Plan puts communities and resource owners at the centre of Fiji’s carbon market development. It prioritises clear guidelines for fair benefit-sharing, social and environmental safeguards, and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for affected communities.
To manage and track carbon market activity, Fiji will establish a Fijian Transactional Registry and a National Carbon Market Inter-Agency Technical Working Group.
Recognizing that full readiness for international carbon trading will require significant investment, the Government will use the costed Plan to engage development partners, donors and potential carbon buyers to mobilise the finance and technical support needed for implementation.
The Plan will be reviewed annually to measure progress, respond to changes in international carbon market rules and ensure continued alignment with Fiji’s Nationally Determined Contribution and national development priorities.
Mere Lakeba, Interim Pacific Lead at Conservation International, said:
“Fiji is showing what climate leadership looks like in practice. This Plan creates a clear pathway to attract high-integrity carbon finance while ensuring that benefits flow to communities, support resilient livelihoods, and protect the forests, mangroves and ecosystems that sustain Fiji’s future.
“As one of the first countries in the Pacific to take this comprehensive approach, Fiji is setting an example for how carbon markets can help deliver both climate action and sustainable development.”
Fiji is inviting development partners, donors and potential carbon buyers to support implementation of the Plan and help build a high-integrity carbon finance model that delivers lasting benefits for Fiji and contributes to wider Pacific climate action.