Kiribati: nature-based coastal protection rooted in traditional knowledge

In Kiribati, local communities are turning to ancestral practices to face coastal erosion and rising sea levels. As part of the technical assistance provided by the Kiwa Initiative, the NbS implementation recommendations for the government of Kiribati aim to revive the buibui, traditional vegetative barriers made from coconut leaves and wooden posts.

These structures help dissipate wave energy, encourage sedimentation, and provide shelter for marine biodiversity. Cost-effective and well adapted to the island environment, they offer a sustainable, culturally grounded alternative to concrete infrastructure. In May 2025, a joint mission with the communities of North Tarawa helped validate initial feasibility study findings, lay the foundations for long-term integration of NbS into public policies, and build strong local ownership of the solutions.

Recommandations demonstrate how future-ready solutions can emerge from traditional knowledge—when built together with the people who live the change.

Learn more here: Coastal Nature-based solutions in Kiribati draws on lessons from the past