Fiji - Develop a baseline for methane and N₂O emissions from wastewater treatment plants across Fiji

Rationale

Domestic wastewater is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions in Fiji, accounting for 32.63% of the Waste Sector’s GHG emissions in 2019, including 31.73% of methane (CH₄) and 73.08% of nitrous oxide (N₂O) from human sewage decomposition. Both domestic and industrial wastewater are discharged into the same sewer systems, but industrial emissions have not yet been quantified. Addressing wastewater emissions is critical for advancing Fiji’s climate mitigation goals, improving evidence-based decision-making, and supporting implementation of the country’s updated NDCs, Low Emission Development Strategy, and NDC Investment Plan.

The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and other relevant ministries, seeks to establish a baseline of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment plants. This baseline will enable the assessment of mitigation potential, support adoption of low-emission technologies, and inform policies such as the National Water Resource Management and Sanitation Policy and the Water and Sewerage Services Bill. The project will also contribute to Fiji’s sectoral MRV capacity, support enhanced tracking of SLCPs, and align with the country’s Global Methane Pledge commitments.

Objectives

• Establish a Business-as-Usual baseline of CH₄ and N₂O emissions from wastewater treatment plants across Fiji using IPCC Tier 2 methods.
• Enhance the capacity of WAF and relevant stakeholders to calculate emissions, conduct MRV, and identify mitigation opportunities for wastewater.
• Develop a roadmap for mitigation actions and technology adoption, supporting evidence-based decision-making, NDC implementation, and sectoral policy development.
• Inform investment planning and policy measures to advance low-emission wastewater management and support the long-term climate objectives of Fiji.

Activities

To achieve these objectives, the project will:

• Conduct a survey and sub-study to distinguish domestic and industrial wastewater connections at Kinoya and other major WWTPs, including site visits, data collection, and operator interviews. Deliverables: wastewater source characterization report and loading datasets.
• Develop Business-as-Usual CH₄ and N₂O emissions inventories for 11 WWTPs across Fiji, classifying systems and applying IPCC equations. Deliverables: emissions baseline report and calculation tool.
• Deliver workshops, trainings, and presentations for WAF representatives, municipal authorities, and other stakeholders on the use of enhanced emissions inventories. Deliverables: training materials and reports.
• Support WAF in identifying mitigation actions and developing an implementation roadmap, including technology screening, feasibility assessment, and planning. Deliverables: mitigation options report and roadmap for adoption of emission reduction measures.

Project Reference: [FJ-25-002t] - Develop a baseline for methane and N₂O emissions from wastewater treatment plants across Fiji