Central Bank of Samoa Hosts Workshop on Climate Risk and Financial Resilience

The Central Bank of Samoa (CBS), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), hosted a 1.5‑day national workshop on the 25th and 26th March 2026, to launch the report “ Strengthening Samoa’s Financial System to Enhance Resilience to Climate‑Related Risks. ” The workshop brought together regulators, financial institutions, and international experts.

The workshop recognizes that Samoa faces serious climate risks, including extreme weather events and coastal impacts that affect households, small businesses, and key economic sectors.  These severe climate risks can also threaten Samoa’s financial stability through high lending to climate‑sensitive sectors and low insurance coverage to name a few.

Participants discussed how climate risks can affect Samoa’s financial system, including the role of Central Bank supervision as well as impacts on financial institution’s operations. Sessions covered practical ways to assess and manage climate risks, such as mapping exposures and using climate scenarios. The workshop also explored how better data systems and digital tools can improve climate and Environment Social and Governance (ESG) data for supervision to support sustainable finance.

The workshop, which included co-creation sessions involving the application of practical case scenarios, and the assessment which underpinned it reflected an important step forward in equipping Samoa’s financial sector with the necessary knowledge and tools to address climate-related risks and concerns.  They identified clear, short‑term actions that CBS and financial institutions can take to strengthen supervision, reporting, and data use.

The workshop helped improve coordination among regulators and financial institutions, aligned Samoa’s efforts with regional sustainable finance initiatives, and identified areas where development partners can provide further support. The support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in close collaboration with UN ESCAP in the Climate Risk assessment is highly appreciated.

While the road ahead is significant, it is achievable through collaboration, partnership and a shared recognition that climate resilience and financial stability are, ultimately, the same goal. The Central Bank of Samoa reaffirmed its commitment to building a stronger, more resilient, and more sustainable financial system to support Samoa’s long‑term development in the face of climate change.