Climate change is not a distant threat. It is at our doorstep.
Addressing the National Climate Action Dialogue at The University of the South Pacific in Suva on Wednesday, Minister for Environment and Climate Change Mosese Bulitavu says storms have torn communities apart, rising tides have forced relocations and droughts continue to hamper livelihoods.
“But behind of all of this, we are actively pursuing initiatives to bring about changes,” Mr Bulitavu said.
“Quite frankly, the changes that all of us want.
“But the real question is, are these changes enough to meet the scale of the crisis we are faced with?
“Is the financing sufficient to implement the changes we envisage for the very communities to serve.”
He said the answers to those questions were “no”.
“This is why we are here today. To dialogue on how to move from parallel efforts to tightening coordination at home, improving transparency, and accelerating implementation across all sectors so that our national pathway truly aligns with our Paris commitments.
“The dialogue today brings together not only government stakeholders but also private sector, civil society, academia, youth, and community representatives into one space so we can have honest and genuine conversations about mitigation, adaptation, resilience, and the finance required to make all of this work.”
Mr Bulitavu said Fiji had set serious markers to deal with climate change.
“We have laws such as the Climate Change Act 2021, and policies such as the National Adaptation Plan, the National Climate Change Policy 2018–2030, and the National Ocean Policy 2020–2030 to guide us.
“We are now preparing our third version of NDCs to guide us towards achieving our climate commitments.
“These instruments give us authority, direction, and accountability but their promise becomes real only when it is translated into projects on the ground, investments in communities, and measurable outcomes.”
He said progress required coordination, inclusion and higher levels of commitment from everyone.
“We all have a part to play in this process.”