Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Hon. Biman Prasad has described climate change as the “cruellest and harshest” threat to the Pacific, warning that it is already driving instability, internal displacement, and growing insecurity across the region.
Speaking at the Political Leaders on Climate Security panel during the Pacific Regional and National Security Conference in Suva, DPM Prasad said the Pacific is preparing for the crisis “on a war footing,” with little time left for meaningful global intervention.
“Climate change is the single greatest threat to our people, our peace, and our Pacific way of life. It is the most direct, the cruellest, and the harshest outcome that we are preparing for,” he said.
He also issued a stern call to the international community on the urgent need for climate finance, pointing out that while the world has agreed to a new climate finance target at COP29, delivery remains painfully slow.
“We can adapt now—over the next decade—but that window is closing fast. For some communities, it’s already too late. Loss and Damage finance is not a luxury; it is a necessity. The fund must be properly resourced and delivered at speed,” he said.
DPM Prasad underlined the need for sustained and predictable financing for Pacific adaptation, resilience, and relocation efforts. He added that much of the region is already diverting scarce resources to rebuild degraded infrastructure, putting massive strain on national budgets.
“The fiscal burden from rebuilding roads, ports, water systems, and housing after each climate event is immense. This cannot be our new normal. The international community is doing less than 10 percent of its share—if even that,” he stated.
He called for the establishment of a regional development bank and reaffirmed Fiji’s support for the Pacific Resilience Facility, which he described as a key regional mechanism to drive future-focused investment in disaster preparedness and adaptation.
DPM Prasad also backed Australia’s bid to host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific, saying it would give world leaders the opportunity to witness firsthand the impacts of climate change in the region.
“To those fighting to keep COP31 away from the Pacific – what are you afraid of? Are you so afraid to look at the Pacific’s displaced people in the eye and say you are sorry?” he asked.
He reiterated the need for regional cooperation, including a visa-free Blue Pacific and coordinated approaches to relocation, marine protection, and climate-resilient development.
“There can be no peace in the Pacific without climate risk being mainstreamed across everything we do – on land and across our seas,” he said, reinforcing Fiji’s support for the Ocean of Peace concept.
The Pacific Regional and National Security Conference brings together political leaders, regional experts, and security specialists to address the growing risks posed by climate change to national and regional stability.