The Government of the Union of Comoros has launched a $54 million climate resilience initiative designed to protect coastal communities by restoring and managing the ecosystems that form the islands’ first line of defence against climate impacts. Backed by a $10 million grant from the Global Environment Facility and $44 million in co-financing from partners including the World Bank and the French Development Agency, the five-year program elevates nature-based solutions from pilot projects to a nationally anchored adaptation strategy.
At its core, the Comoros nature-based climate resilience initiative aims to safeguard 140,000 coastal residents by restoring, protecting, and sustainably managing 6,200 hectares of mangroves, beaches, and upper watersheds—natural systems that reduce flooding, erosion, and saltwater intrusion while supporting livelihoods and biodiversity.
Nature as National Infrastructure
For Comoros, a Small Island Developing State in the Indian Ocean, climate risks are already reshaping development prospects. Higher temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and accelerating sea-level rise are compounding vulnerabilities in a country where two-thirds of the population lives within two kilometers of the coast. Flooding, erosion, and salinization increasingly threaten housing, agriculture, and economic activity.
The new initiative frames ecosystems as essential infrastructure. By applying ecosystem-based adaptation, the project uses nature to reduce climate risks while strengthening food security, livelihoods, and biodiversity. Execution will be led by the General Directorate of Environment and Forests, working closely with the UN Environment Programme, aligning national institutions with multilateral expertise.
In launching the initiative, H.E. Abubakar Ben Mahmoud, Minister of Environment of Comoros, said: “The project is fully aligned with the ambitious vision of the Comoros Emerging Plan 2030, which places environmental sustainability and climate action at the heart of national development. Together, with our partners and our communities, we have a unique opportunity to build lasting resilience.”
From Coastal Protection to Community Capacity
Beyond physical restoration, the program embeds governance and capacity-building at the local level. Eight municipal development plans will be updated through inclusive, gender-transformative processes, integrating climate resilience into local planning frameworks. At the same time, 10,000 community members will be trained in Integrated Coastal Zone Management and climate-resilient planning, supported by a participatory monitoring system intended to strengthen accountability and long-term stewardship.
Communities will take the lead in large-scale rehabilitation of mangroves and beaches across the 6,200-hectare restoration area. These efforts will be complemented by watershed conservation upstream to stabilize soils, enhance freshwater availability, and reinforce resilience across entire landscapes rather than isolated sites.
Linking Adaptation to a Blue Economy
A central pillar of the initiative is its economic dimension. To support a climate-resilient Blue Economy, a dedicated accelerator platform will assist 300 micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises in sectors such as fisheries, agroforestry, and eco-tourism. Tailored micro-finance tools are intended to incentivize climate-smart innovation and promote sustainable livelihoods alongside ecosystem recovery.
This integration of adaptation finance with enterprise development reflects a broader shift in climate policy thinking: resilience is not only about protection from shocks, but about sustaining economic opportunity in climate-exposed regions.
Regional Relevance Beyond Comoros
The project also positions Comoros as part of a wider regional learning network. Continuous knowledge management, South–South exchanges, inclusive policy dialogues, and gender-responsive outreach are built into the program to ensure lessons can be scaled from local to national level—and shared across the Western Indian Ocean region.
Fatou Ndoye, Deputy Director of UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa, framed the initiative within a continental context: “With climate change, Africa remains on the frontlines: prolonged droughts, extreme flooding, coastal erosion, water insecurity, and biodiversity loss. This project is not merely technical—it is transformational. It places nature at the heart of our climate action, and communities at the centre of the solutions.”
UNEP currently supports more than 45 ecosystem-based adaptation projects worldwide, aiming to restore 271,000 hectares of ecosystems and benefit 4.6 million people—positioning Comoros’ effort within a growing global portfolio.
Scaling a Model for Small Island States
By combining grant finance, multilateral co-financing, community-led implementation, and national planning alignment, the Comoros initiative offers a template for other Small Island Developing States seeking to operationalize nature-based climate action at scale. As climate risks intensify and adaptation finance remains constrained, the approach underscores how ecosystems can serve as both protective infrastructure and engines of inclusive development.
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