Cook Islands aims to access $300m Green Climate Fund

The Cook Islands is preparing proposals to access US$300 million for climate change mitigation projects from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Finance minister Mark Brown, who attended the fund’s regional meeting in Suva, Fiji this week, said the GCF board aimed to distribute US$2.5 billion for climate change projects this year.

Earlier this year the Cook Islands was the first country in the region to receive funding through GCF and government is eager to make the most of the opportunity to fund efforts to fight the effects of climate change.

Office of the Prime Minister chief of staff Elizabeth Wright-Koteka, who is also at the meeting, said the primary objective was to find ways to maximise access to the fund.

Wright-Koteka said the first proposal was to develop the country’s programme prioritising projects for submission to the GCF. This would use the Cook Islands National Infrastructure Investment Plan, the Joint Action Plan for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Renewable Energy Chart, etc.