FIJI’S ecosystems are the resource base for livelihoods, fisheries, forestry, agriculture, and tourism, but they are at risk of continued degradation, mostly due to development pressures.
Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Dr Mahendra Reddy said this during his address at the G7 Environment Ministers meeting this week.
Fiji was invited by France, the current president of the G7, to participate at the G7 Environment Ministers meeting this week because of its growing role in climate and environment advocacy and awareness activities on the international stage.
Dr Reddy said told G7 Environment Ministers that Fiji’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change continue to affect the environment and in turn, ordinary Fijians.
He highlighted that as a direct result, ordinary Fijians were facing socioeconomic impacts which included relocating from their homes and communities.
Whilst Fiji is the only non G7 state from the Pacific region, this conference provided Dr Reddy the opportunity to also bring to the attention of G7 nations the plight of the Pacific peoples.
During the two day conference, Dr Reddy will deliver interventions on various aspects of the linkages between climate, environment, science and economic opportunities.
He is supported at this conference by Fiji’s non-resident Ambassador to France and based in Brussels, Deo Saran.
