As Pacific countries progress their climate action priorities, they are seeking to strengthen the systems and capacity needed to plan, access, deliver and report on climate finance. Limited specialist capacity that is often driven by high demand and small workforce pools – coupled with stretched public service resources, fragmented coordination across ministries and gaps in public financial management, data systems and reporting processes – can slow the translation of national climate strategies into funded, implementable projects.

The Climate Finance Capacity Support Programme works with Pacific countries to scale and strengthen human resource and institutional capacity to access, manage, deliver and report on climate finance. This support better positions Pacific countries to effectively implement national climate action priorities. Funded by New Zealand, the programme operates in 15 Pacific countries and territories and is responsive to the unique needs and priorities of these countries.

The programme responds to Pacific government-identified requests for support, including those designed to improve institutional capability, strengthen governance and coordination arrangements, and enhance readiness to access and manage climate finance in line with national strategies, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans.

Activities delivered to date have included placement of embedded personnel in areas such as climate policy and legislative implementation, public financial management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting systems, infrastructure asset management and NDC coordination. Across countries, this has involved strengthening financial reporting systems, developing or implementing national monitoring frameworks, designing bankable climate finance proposals, improving greenhouse gas data and monitoring, reporting and verification processes, supporting cross-ministerial coordination mechanisms, and facilitating inclusive national and state-level climate planning processes. The approach is adaptive and country-led, with support tailored to each government’s identified priorities and institutional context.

• As of March 2026, 55 active capacity inputs were underway across the Pacific, with a further 44 planned and 23 completed.
• These inputs include personnel embedded within government departments and more targeted technical expertise to support specific initiatives.
• Areas of supported span climate finance readiness, adaptation and mitigation planning, infrastructure resilience, data and reporting systems, public financial management and cross-government coordination.