Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Mosese Bulitavu, delivered a powerful opening address at the Sixth Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific yesterday, warning that the region is "living the costs of delay" and urging immediate, decisive action on the climate crisis.
Addressing senior officials, UN representatives, and civil society leaders, Minister Bulitavu called for a shift from deliberation to delivery.
He challenged delegates to produce "documents that speak the language of accountability, financing, and implementation" to carry forward to the upcoming UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7).
“If we want a different future, our policies and public finance must start telling a different story—one in which environmental integrity is a growth strategy, not a constraint,” the Minister declared.
Drawing on the wisdom of his village, Dogotuki in Vanua Levu, Minister Bulitavu spoke of the deep connection between his people and the environment, where the natural world is read with respect and understanding.
This, he argued, is the kind of wisdom needed to navigate the current environmental challenges.
Minister Bulitavu also highlighted the recent advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which affirmed the legal obligations of states to prevent climate harm.
“This ruling is not a headline—it is our mandate,” he stressed.
He urged the forum to break down the silos between environment and economy, and between science and traditional knowledge. The goal, he said, is to shape a future for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) that reflects the priorities of communities and is backed by real government funding.
In his closing, Minister Bulitavu called for a disciplined, practical, and shared courage to turn deliberations into tangible outcomes.
“Let us turn deliberations into delivery,” he concluded, emphasising the urgency of the task at hand for the people of the Asia-Pacific region and the world.
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