Fiji’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change was this morning presented to G7 Nations at a special environment conference.
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. Leading Fiji’s delegation to this conference is Fijian Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy.
In his opening remarks this morning, Minister Reddy 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.
"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 Reddy.
Whilst Fiji is the only non G7 state from the Pacific region, this conference provided the Minister the opportunity to also bring to the attention of G7 nations the plight of the Pacific peoples.
"The Pacific Islands as a group may be the planet’s most vulnerable nations to the effects of climate change, with some facing possible obliteration. From Fiji to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu to Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Islands’ array of low-lying islands and atolls, or chains of ring-shaped reefs, confront destruction wrought by rapidly increasing sea levels, warming temperatures, intensified storm surges and persistent droughts. Broadly, these extreme weather patterns impede economic development, hamper residents’ ability to access clean water and contaminate or erode the soil nations rely on for agriculture and fundamental food security.
People in the Pacific experience extensive coastal erosion events, not just to their beaches, but also to their land. This has displaced people from their traditional living spaces (homes) they have occupied for over a century. This is in addition to losing their food security (livelihoods and sustenance). Climate change and loss of Biodiversity is drastically pressuring populations into migration (dislocation) both trans-boundary and internally which puts pressure on the urban spaces with severe overcrowding. Fiji has had to relocate 3 villages and have identified an additional 43 (plus) communities that would require relocation.”
During the two day conference, the Minister 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, Mr Deo Saran.