The Pacific Innovation Forum for Climate and Environment (PIFCE) 1st - 3rd July, 2026

Global Green Growth Institute Fiji Office

Brief overview

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, intergovernmental organisation that supports developing countries and emerging economies to achieve strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth. GGGI works with governments and partners to develop evidence-based policies, strengthen institutional capacity, mobilise climate and green finance, and deliver practical solutions that advance low-carbon, climate-resilient development. In the Pacific, GGGI as been active since 2012 and has six member states in which it operates full country programmes — Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. In addition, GGGI also has operations in Marshal Islands, Palau, Samoa and Tuvalu

Your organisation’s goals

In the Pacific, GGGI provides technical assistance, policy advice, capacity strengthening and climate finance support to help governments advance climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable and inclusive development. Its work includes supporting green growth and climate planning, developing policies and strategies, strengthening institutions and systems, mobilising finance, and helping convert national priorities into practical investments, programmes and implementation pathways. Regional work focuses on adaptation, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, climate finance and inclusive green growth.

One example is the Low Emission Climate Resilient Development (LECRD) programme, which GGGI is implementing in Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu with funding from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Government of Ireland. Through LECRD, GGGI supports governments to strengthen long-term, evidence-based and inclusive climate and development decision-making, build institutional and stakeholder capacity, and advance country-led initiatives in areas such as resilient construction, climate finance and carbon market readiness.

Describe your innovation

One innovation GGGI wishes to feature is the Fiji Bamboo to Adapt and Mitigate Climate Change initiative under the LECRD programme. The innovation is not simply the use of bamboo as a building material; it is the development of an evidence-based, inclusive and scalable model for increasing the use of bamboo in resilient construction. In Fiji, this has involved research on the mechanical properties of locally available bamboo, analysis of sustainable cultivation, harvesting, treatment and processing methods, work on guidance and codes, and awareness-raising and training to build the enabling environment for wider uptake.

This innovation addresses climate change and environmental challenges by promoting a renewable, lower-carbon and potentially more affordable construction material that can help reduce reliance on imported, emissions-intensive materials such as cement and steel. It also supports climate adaptation by exploring how bamboo can be used in resilient housing, while creating opportunities for regenerative land use, reduced pressure on conventional resources, and greener local livelihoods.

The innovation is particularly relevant for Pacific Island Countries and Territories because many face high construction costs, housing shortages, heavy dependence on imports, and growing exposure to cyclones and other climate-related hazards. It is also a strong example of South-South innovation transfer. Through partnership with Base Bahay in the Philippines, the project is drawing on Cement Bamboo Frame Technology (CBFT), a disaster-resilient bamboo housing approach already used to build low-cost homes that have withstood category 5 cyclones. This makes the innovation highly relevant not only for Fiji, but as a practical model for how bamboo construction could be adapted and further scaled across the Pacific.

How is this solution is innovative?

This solution is innovative because it goes beyond promoting bamboo as an alternative building material and instead develops the full enabling environment needed to scale its use in resilient construction. In Fiji, the project combines scientific testing of locally available bamboo, analysis of sustainable cultivation and treatment methods, work on standards and guidance, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement across government, academia, industry and communities. This whole-of-system approach is innovative because it tackles the technical, institutional, social and market barriers that often prevent promising ideas from being adopted at scale.

It is also innovative because it adapts both traditional and international knowledge to the Pacific context. The project builds on bamboo’s long history of use in the region, while also drawing on South-South innovation transfer through partnership with Base Bahay in the Philippines and its Cement Bamboo Frame Technology for disaster-resilient housing. In addition, the project deliberately integrates gender equality and social inclusion by seeking to ensure that women and other marginalised groups can participate in and benefit from the emerging bamboo value chain. Together, these features make the solution practical, evidence-based, inclusive and highly relevant for wider replication in the Pacific.

How can the innovation be replicated and scaled up in other PICTs?

The innovation can be replicated in other PICTs through a phased, partnership-based approach. First, each country would need to assess its local bamboo resource, relevant species, hazard context, and existing policy framework. This should then be followed by pilot testing, demonstration builds, and adaptation of standards, treatment methods and designs to local conditions. Fiji’s experience suggests that replication works best when led through strong institutional partnerships between government agencies responsible for forestry, public works, housing, trade and standards, together with universities, the private sector, communities and women’s groups. International technical partners such as Base Bahay can also play an important role in supporting South-South knowledge transfer.

Scaling up will require blended financing. Public and donor funding can help support early-stage research, standards development, training, treatment facilities and demonstration projects, while concessional finance, SME support, and public procurement incentives can help crowd in private investment and market demand. Capacity building will also be essential, including training on propagation, harvesting, treatment, engineering design, construction methods and code compliance. With the right partnerships, finance and skills, the model could be adapted across the Pacific to support more resilient, lower-carbon and locally grounded construction systems.

How is the solution cost‑effective and affordable in the context of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs)?

It can be potentially, but with an important caveat. Bamboo-based construction appears promising as a cost-effective option for PICTs because it can reduce dependence on imported, emissions-intensive materials such as cement and steel, make greater use of locally available resources, and create local value chains in cultivation, treatment, processing and construction. In Fiji, the project was explicitly designed around bamboo as a cost-effective, resilient construction material that could help increase the supply of more affordable buildings and reduce costs through lower material inputs.

From an end-user perspective, however, affordability is not only about whether bamboo is cheaper to build with; it is also about whether households, MSMEs and local authorities can actually access the material, skills and finance needed to use it. Feedback captured through the Fiji study tour suggests CBFT could be cheaper than conventional methods, but that even then it may remain out of reach for many low-income households without targeted support such as concessional finance, housing subsidies, public procurement support, or materials vouchers.

For that reason, GGGI’s approach in Fiji is cautious and evidence-based. The project includes work to assess the costs and benefits of using locally grown bamboo in construction under Fiji’s own conditions. This will be important to confirm affordability in practice and identify what financing or policy measures would be needed to make the solution accessible at scale.

Locations (country, island, or community) where this solution has been piloted and/or implemented

The solution is currently being implemented in Fiji, with activities to date spanning both Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. In Fiji, this has included mechanical testing of locally available Bambusa vulgaris using samples from Colo-i-Suva and Ba, laboratory and bending tests undertaken through the Ministry of Forestry and Fiji National University, and wider field assessments and practical value-chain trials in locations including Savusavu and nearby communities. The Fiji work is therefore best understood as a multi-site, country-level initiative that is building the technical evidence, partnerships and enabling environment needed to support bamboo-based construction.

The broader bamboo housing innovation on which this work builds has also been implemented internationally. Cement Bamboo Frame Technology (CBFT), developed by Base Bahay in the Philippines, has been applied extensively there and has also been piloted and adapted in Nepal, with more recent rollout in Sri Lanka through local partnerships. This international experience is highly relevant to Fiji because it provides practical lessons on disaster-resilient design, treatment systems, supply chains, capacity building and scaling pathways that can inform wider uptake in Pacific Island Countries and Territories.

Learn more:

https://commonwealthsustainablecities.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/260324-CSCC-HAG-Case-Study_Climate-Resilient-Low-Carbon-Housing.pdf

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute

About

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute (AVOI) is a science-led, community-driven initiative advancing marine restoration, climate resilience and sustainable blue economy development in Vanuatu. Through its Havannah Harbour pilot, AVOI integrates Reef Ball deployment, artificial reef design, drone-enabled monitoring and workforce training via the Vanuatu Ocean Rangers. The model combines innovation and local stewardship to restore ecosystems, strengthen biodiversity and support climate adaptation. By linking technology, community engagement and practical delivery, AVOI is developing a scalable national framework that helps translate ocean policy into measurable outcomes, creating jobs, building local capability and supporting long-term environmental resilience across island communities.

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute (AVOI) delivers integrated, science-led services focused on marine restoration, climate resilience and sustainable environmental management. Its core services include the design and deployment of Reef Ball artificial reef systems and managed vessel reefs to restore degraded marine habitats, enhance biodiversity and support fisheries recovery. AVOI also provides drone-enabled monitoring and survey services, using autonomous and manned systems to track climate impacts, support conservation planning and improve data-driven decision-making across marine and coastal environments.

A central component is the development of the Vanuatu Ocean Rangers program, which builds local workforce capability in restoration, monitoring, conservation and environmental stewardship. AVOI also supports Marine Protected Area (MPA) design, ecological baseline assessments and long-term monitoring frameworks aligned with national ocean policy objectives.

Through community engagement, eco-tourism integration and applied innovation, AVOI connects environmental protection with economic opportunity. Its Havannah Harbour pilot serves as a scalable model to deliver practical climate adaptation, strengthen ecosystem resilience and enable coordinated, whole-of-government environmental outcomes across Vanuatu.

The Innovation

One of AVOI’s key innovations is the integration of the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program with locally delivered marine restoration systems, including Reef Ball fabrication and deployment. This model combines workforce development, community engagement and practical restoration into a single, scalable framework designed for island environments.

Through structured Vanuatu Ocean Ranger Camps, over a 3 day period AVOI identifies and trains local Ni-Vanuatu participants in marine conservation, Scientific diving, restoration techniques, monitoring and stewardship. One aspect of the Rangers responsibilities is to support the fabrication and deployment of Reef Ball artificial reef systems using locally sourced materials and regional supply chains, significantly reducing costs and increasing local ownership. The approach enables degraded reef systems to be restored while simultaneously building in-country capability and employment pathways, guided by our National AVOI Play Book at its core.

This innovation directly addresses climate change by strengthening reef resilience, supporting fisheries recovery and enhancing coastal protection against storm surge and extreme weather events. It also improves ecosystem health, which is critical for food security and long-term adaptation in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).

What makes this model particularly relevant for PICTs is its practicality and scalability. It does not rely on high-cost external inputs but instead builds local capacity, integrates customary stewardship and aligns with government policy frameworks. The system can be replicated across islands using a consistent training, deployment and governance approach.

Supported by drone-enabled monitoring and AI self learning data collection, AVOI’s model provides a cost-effective, community-led solution that connects restoration, climate resilience and sustainable economic opportunity in a way that is both locally grounded and nationally scalable.

How is this solution innovative?

AVOI’s solution is innovative because it integrates community workforce development, marine restoration and applied technology into a single, scalable delivery model tailored for island environments. Rather than treating conservation, employment and climate adaptation as separate challenges, AVOI combines them through the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program and locally delivered Reef Ball restoration systems. This creates a practical pathway where communities are directly trained and employed to restore and monitor their own marine ecosystems. The model also incorporates drone-enabled monitoring and emerging AI-supported survey systems to improve data collection, ecological tracking and rapid response capability, including in remote and disaster-affected areas. This blend of low-cost, locally sourced restoration methods with advanced monitoring technology allows for both accessibility and scientific rigour. What makes the approach particularly innovative is its focus on scalability and replication. By developing a standardised training, deployment and governance framework, AVOI provides a repeatable model based on a National AVOI Play book that can be adapted across Pacific Island Countries, helping translate policy into measurable, community-led climate and environmental outcomes.

How can the innovation be replicated and scaled up in other PICTs

AVOI’s model is designed for replication across Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) through a structured, partnership-driven and capacity-focused approach. Following an initial two-year proof-of-concept in Vanuatu, AVOI will develop a refined National PICT Playbook outlining standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safe work method statements (SWMS), delivered in both English and Bislama, with visual and pictorial elements to ensure accessibility across diverse communities.

Scaling will be enabled through institutional partnerships with government agencies, regional bodies, scientific partners such as UTS, and local stakeholders, supported by blended financing models including public-private partnerships, eco-tourism revenue streams and conservation funding.

A key component is the development of a simplified, citizen science-based survey framework focused on key indicator species. This approach lowers technical barriers, enabling participation from communities with varying levels of formal education while strengthening data collection and stewardship.

By combining local workforce training, accessible science, and standardised systems, AVOI creates a practical, low-cost model that can be adapted regionally, empowering communities while supporting climate resilience, biodiversity restoration and sustainable economic development across PICTs.

Is your solution cost‑effective and affordable in the context of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs)?

AVOI’s solution is designed to be highly cost-effective and affordable for communities, local governments and small operators across PICTs. A core principle of the model is the use of locally available materials, including aggregates from regional quarries and, where appropriate, surplus or repurposed government materials. This significantly reduces construction and deployment costs for Reef Ball systems and associated infrastructure.

From an end-user perspective, the model lowers financial barriers by building local capability through the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger Camp Initiative and subsequent program, reducing reliance on external expertise and enabling communities to deliver and maintain restoration activities themselves. The integration of eco-tourism also creates revenue-generating opportunities that can help offset ongoing costs.

Affordability is further strengthened through the development of a streamlined cross-departmental approval pathway within the AVOI Playbook. By providing clear guidance on site selection, environmental considerations and standardised processes, local governments can reduce delays, duplication and administrative costs, enabling more efficient project delivery at scale.

Together, these elements create a low-cost, accessible and sustainable model that is practical for widespread adoption across PICTs.

Where is this being piloted?

AVOI’s solution is being piloted in Vanuatu, with Havannah Harbour (North-West Efate) identified as the primary proof-of-concept site, supported by a permanent operational and training hub at Lot 149, Lapita Estate. While over 1,000,000 Reef Balls have been deployed globally across more than 80 countries, this will be the first integrated deployment of this system in Vanuatu. The pilot combines initial baseline surveys across 12 regions using Reef Life Survey (RLS Methodology) prior to any deployments. Once 6 of the sites are selected for deployment we will deploy 50m x 10m of Reef Ball habitat restoration—designed as a 500+ year solution—, allowing us to. Continue to conduct 6 monthly replicated surveys in exactly the same 50m transects to demonstrate recruitment changes providing proof of concept. Together with the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program, which trains and employs local Ni-Vanuatu to deliver restoration, monitoring and stewardship, supported by drone-enabled surveying, community engagement and eco-tourism integration. The approach is intentionally holistic, linking marine restoration, climate resilience, workforce development, local supply chains and government coordination into a single, place-based model. The Havannah Harbour pilot will be used to refine systems, demonstrate measurable outcomes and establish a scalable framework for national and regional replication across PICTs, through the development of our AVOI National Playbook, helping guide replication across all our satellite sites. Initial training will be conducted through AVOI Headquarters in Havannah Harbour, with Ranger selection conducted through a multi-day conservation camp where participant will all leave with new knowledge and appreciation for the terrestrial and marine environment, and Ocean Rangers selected for employment within the AVOI team at the conclusion of the camps.