Cook Islands get major boost in fight against climate change

This case study describes how the Green Climate Fund (GCF) provided readiness and preparatory support to the Cook Islands to strengthen its institutional capacity, governance, and ability to access climate finance. Between 2016 and 2019, the Cook Islands received four readiness grants totaling USD 1.9 million to support the accreditation of national entities and the implementation of a country programme.

• The Cook Islands is highly vulnerable to climate change, facing threats from rising sea levels, tropical storms, cyclones, droughts, coastal erosion, flooding, rising temperatures, changing ocean currents, and abnormal weather patterns. Economic challenges, including a heavy reliance on tourism (which accounted for approximately 80% of GDP before the COVID-19 pandemic) and high import and fuel costs, limit the country's adaptation capacity.
• Between February 2016 and 2019, the Cook Islands received four readiness grants from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) totaling USD 1.9 million, with USD 1.2 million disbursed as of 31 December 2020. The Cook Islands was the first Small Island Developing State to receive funding from the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme in the Pacific.
• The GCF readiness support focused on four primary areas: strengthening the National Designated Authority (NDA), supporting the accreditation of a second direct access entity, developing strategic frameworks and the Cook Islands country programme, and enhancing the implementation of that programme through capacity building for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM), the Climate Change Cook Islands Office (CCCI), and the private sector.
• The process of accessing GCF resources highlighted four key lessons: the importance of clear and regular communication with the GCF, the need to keep local stakeholders informed in small island communities, the value of learning from other countries (such as the Federated States of Micronesia), and the use of the accreditation process as an opportunity to build local capacity.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2021). Cook Islands get major boost in fight against climate change. https://www.greenclimate.fund/about/news-and-updates/stories/cook-islands-get-major-boost-fight-against-climate-change

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Cook Islands get major boost in fight against climate change. 2021. https://www.greenclimate.fund/about/news-and-updates/stories/cook-islands-get-major-boost-fight-against-climate-change.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Cook Islands get major boost in fight against climate change |date=21 December 2021 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/about/news-and-updates/stories/cook-islands-get-major-boost-fight-against-climate-change |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2021cook, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Cook Islands get major boost in fight against climate change}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/about/news-and-updates/stories/cook-islands-get-major-boost-fight-against-climate-change}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }