Resilient Reefs Pasifika

The Samoa Resilience Hub has been established with Conservation International (CI) at the helm, serving as a central platform to coordinate impactful conservation efforts across Samoa. With over 18 years of experience in ocean and ecosystem resilience, CI Samoa works closely with government partners and local communities to restore coral reefs and mangroves, address storm surge damage, and support sustainable ocean management. CI Samoa, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Waitt Institute, also co-led the nationwide Marine Spatial Plan under the Samoa Ocean Strategy 2020-2030 for the use and protection of its oceans, providing a strong foundation to scale coral reef efforts across Samoa. As part of Resilient Reefs Pasifika, CI Samoa will integrate traditional knowledge, scientific evidence, and community leadership to address climate and human-induced threats to reefs, enhance biodiversity, and support sustainable livelihoods throughout Samoa and beyond. 

Image credit: Shaun Wolfe / Ocean Image Bank

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will lead the Resilience Hub in the Federated States of Micronesia, focusing on the State of Yap. TNC has been working alongside Micronesian communities and governments for over 30 years to support them in their efforts to protect, restore and sustainably manage their valuable resources and biodiversity. TNC’s conservation approach helps to identify how nature can play a meaningful role in solving the problems facing communities. It’s grounded in community-led solutions that are guided by science and bolstered by strong leadership, policy and sustainable finance. As part of Resilient Reefs Pasifika, TNC will work closely with communities and government to develop solutions for island resilience that help chart a course to a more sustainable, resilient and biodiverse future.

Image credit: Tim Calver

Ocean Toa Cook Islands is a purpose-driven ecotourism initiative leading the Ocean Tupuna Movement, which aims to redefine ocean conservation as a catalyst for social transformation by addressing the impacts of climate change on isolated communities, challenging systemic social inequities, and advancing indigenous knowledge systems. By repurposing dormant pearl farms into coral sanctuaries, fostering community collaboration, promoting youth education, and developing resilient, island-specific ocean-based economies, the initiative seeks to enhance local livelihoods, oppose deep sea mining, and safeguard marine biodiversity and the cultural heritage of island communities for future generations. The Accelerator will enable it to scale operations, strengthen program design and foster regional collaboration in reef restoration.

Image credit: Ocean Toa

Born from a 20 year-long collaboration between resorts, dive businesses and local communities, the Drawaqa Marine Conservation Trust supports marine conservation in Fiji’s Yasawa Islands. Its current work focuses on expanding Locally Managed Marine Areas (Tabu areas), coral restoration, and sustainable tourism across multiple island communities in the Yasawa Islands. The Accelerator will enhance their organisational capacity, program design and donor connections, enabling them to scale reef-to-ridge interventions across this large, ecologically important archipelago.

Image credit: Drawaqa Marine Conservation Trust

Live & Learn is committed to designing and developing a ridge-to-reef approach to protect marine and terrestrial ecosystems and strengthen community-led resilience in sites soon to be selected in the Solomon Islands. The project design will consider the interdependence of ecosystems, the communities that rely on them for their livelihoods, safety, and cultural identity, as well as the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Emphasis will be placed on ensuring long-term viability through community leadership, broad stakeholder engagement, and the exploration of innovative solutions for conservation and resilience financing. The Accelerator is supporting Live & Learn by strengthening the project design, facilitating donor engagement, and helping to scale its impact.

Image credit: Aelanlife/Courtesy Nakau and Live & Learn

RARE’s Fish Forever program empowers Palauan communities to manage coastal resources by blending fisheries management, traditional practices and scientific knowledge. Building on the success in Melekeok State — where Fish Forever is well established — the project plans to expand to Ngchesar and Ngiwal, forming the first ecologically and socio-politically networked marine management system along Palau's eastern coast. With Accelerator support, it will test and enhance the project design, engage with donors and potentially scale the project across the whole country.

Image credit: RARE

Island Conservation restores islands for nature and people worldwide. It does this by bringing back biodiversity, the foundation of healthy ecosystems. Removing invasive species from islands is repeatedly proven to be one of the most effective ways to restore biodiversity, boosting seabird populations and increasing the flow of nitrogen-rich nutrients to nearby reefs. Its project will expand drone-based rat eradication efforts to Nukufetau Atoll in Tuvalu, building on recent drone-based eradication efforts in the Marshall Islands and working closely with community, traditional leadership, and government. The Accelerator will enable Island Conservation to validate its approach and build ecological and community resilience across the Pacific.

Image credit: Jesse Friedlander/Island Conservation