Fiji begins work on 2026 State of the Environment Report

Fiji has commenced work on its 2026 State of the Environment Report, a comprehensive national assessment of the country's natural resources, ecosystems, and pressing environmental challenges. Dr. Sivendra Michael, Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, described the report as a national "report card" that will evaluate the condition of Fiji's forests, rivers, reefs, biodiversity, air quality, waste management, climate impacts, and oceans.

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The assessment will provide Government with evidence to guide future environmental policies and investments.

The assessment is mandated by the Environment Management Act 2005 and is designed to furnish the government with crucial evidence for shaping future environmental policies and investments. It will also serve as a tool to measure the efficacy of recently implemented environmental reforms.

According to Dr. Michael, the 2026 report will examine 37 indicators across 21 environmental domains. These include the impacts of climate change, the status of threatened species, pollution levels, waste management practices, and ecosystem resilience. He highlighted the interconnected nature of Fiji's environmental issues, noting how climate change affects biodiversity, land degradation impacts water quality, and pollution poses risks to public health, fisheries, and tourism.

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Fiji’s environmental challenges are interconnected, with climate change affecting biodiversity, land degradation impacting water quality, and pollution threatening public health, fisheries and tourism.

This initiative follows the last State of the Environment Report prepared in 2020, which was not formally endorsed. The current process aims to update existing information with the latest scientific evidence and national data. Dr. Michael emphasized that protecting natural resources is not merely an environmental duty but a vital investment in Fiji's economy, culture, and the future of its generations.

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Protecting the natural resources is not only an environmental responsibility but also an investment in the country’s economy, culture and future generations.