Protecting our wetlands with IUCN Oceania and Kiwa Initiative
This year’s theme, "Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future," highlights the vital role wetlands play in keeping our environment balanced and promoting our well-being. Wetlands are critical marine habitats that support biodiversity and provide livelihoods for coastal communities.

The Kiwa Initiative promotes wetlands through various projects that focus on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to enhance climate resilience and biodiversity conservation.
Two Notable Kiwa Projects on Wetlands:
In Timor-Leste, wetlands are known for their rich marine life, which is essential for healthy ecosystems. These ecosystems support fisheries that are crucial for food security. As climate change poses risks to our environment, wetlands help protect coastal areas from erosion and other challenges. Projects like the Kiwa Initiative Blue Ventures focus on using nature-based solutions to safeguard these important ecosystems. They promote customary-law management practices to increase the areas of wetlands protected by local communities. Additionally, they emphasize mangrove protection, as planting and conserving mangroves improve wetland health and biodiversity.
In Fiji, wetlands, especially mangroves, are essential for our communities. They shield coastal areas from storms, provide resources for livelihoods, and support diverse wildlife. Through the Kiwa Initiative C3 Fiji project, based in Labasa, the community has learned how important mangroves are in connecting land and sea, creating natural barriers and habitats for many species.
Last year, C3 Fiji celebrated World Wetlands Day by engaging local schoolchildren, from kindergarten to Class 8, to raise awareness about wetlands. The project members taught them how these ecosystems are directly linked to our health and well-being. This hands-on learning empowered the next generation to understand the value of wetlands and inspired them to take action to protect them.
These projects, implemented by IUCN Oceania under the Kiwa Initiative, establish a commitment to preserving wetlands and promoting sustainable development in the Pacific region.
Let’s continue to work together to protect and restore our wetlands for a healthier and more sustainable future. A simple way to help is by reducing waste, especially plastics, which can harm wildlife and ecosystems.
The project is part of the Kiwa Initiative, financed by the European Union, Agence Française de Développement, Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and (DFAT) and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). Their combined goal is protecting resources, reinforcing coastal defences, and strengthening resilience of communities in the Oceania region. The Kiwa Initiative has established partnerships with the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Oceania Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
