Building schools that can weather climate shocks

Koror, Palau, 1 September 2026 - Thousands of children across the Pacific will benefit from a new European Union-UNICEF partnership supporting governments in building safer, stronger schools that are better prepared for climate-related disasters.

Across the Pacific, climate change is increasingly damaging schools and disrupting children's education. Almost every year, cyclones, floods, rising sea levels - amongst other disasters - damage classrooms, water systems, and school facilities, particularly in remote communities. In many cases, schools are repaired only to be damaged again by the next disaster, leading to a costly cycle of damage and reconstruction.

The new €17 Million Pacific Climate Resilient Education Systems*(Pacific CRES) programme signed and launched at a side event of the 55^th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau reflects the European Union's (EU) long-term commitment to working alongside Pacific countries and UNICEF on shared climate and development priorities.

The new programme will upgrade existing school infrastructure, strengthen maintenance systems, as well as introduce practical solutions that help schools remain operational during and after disasters.

Improvements will include climate-resilient water and sanitation facilities, renewable energy systems, and enhanced connectivity - creating safer, more reliable learning environments for children.

The agreement signed today by the Deputy Director-General for the Directorate-General for International Partnerships, Marjeta Jager and UNICEF Pacific's Deputy Representative, Roshni Basu is not only an investment in school buildings. It is an investment in safety, continuity of learning, dignity, and opportunity for children and communities facing growing climate and disaster risks.

In addition to improving school infrastructure, the programme will support governments to plan and budget for the long-term maintenance of school facilities.

"Launched during this Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, and in the same year that the Pacific hosts pre-COP, the partnership reflects growing recognition that climate resilience must be built into the systems and services that children rely on every day," said UNICEF Pacific's Deputy Representative, Roshni Basu. "With the leadership of Pacific governments and in partnership with the European Union, this programme is investing in solutions that will protect learning for years to come, rather than relying on short-term fixes."

Over the next five years, the programme is expected to directly benefit around 15,000 children through improved school facilities in Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, and Solomon Islands. It will support approximately 2,000 teachers and school administrators with training on disaster preparedness and school resilience. It will also engage around 25,000 community members in disaster risk reduction and school maintenance activities.

The programme will be implemented by Ministries of Education in partnership with UNICEF, National Disaster Management Offices, climate change authorities, as well as regional organizations across Fiji, FSM, Kiribati, and Solomon Islands.

Note:

*Pacific CRES builds on the experience of the European Union and UNICEF's Climate Resilient Sheltering Schools programme currently underway in Vanuatu. Together, the two programmes form part of a broader effort to advance climate-resilient schools across the Pacific and enable countries to learn from one another's experiences and innovations.

An innovative regional component of Pacific CRES will support the development of a regional cooperation mechanism to help mobilize resources, strengthen technical assistance, and accelerate investment in resilient school infrastructure across the Pacific.

** The Deputy Director-General for the Directorate-General for International Partnerships, Marjeta Jager and UNICEF Pacific's Deputy Representative, Roshni Basu, signed this new partnership today at the 55^th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau during a side event on Advancing Youth Leadership and Civil Society engagement in the Pacific.

Delegation of the European Union to the Pacific

The side event focused on advancing youth voices and civil society engagement at local and regional level in the Pacific. The side event was co-organised by the EU, UNICEF, the Reng Collective and PIANGO and focused on creating platforms and pathways between local initiatives and regional decision-making with development partners such as the EU and UNICEF, positioned as allies and enablers of youth and community-led leadership.