Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad has emphasized the Prime Minister’s message about the necessity of guiding global efforts to restrict temperature increases to under 1.5 degrees Celsius.
During the announcement for the Conference of Parties 29 Delegation, Professor Prasad stated that it is crucial for the Fiji delegation to understand that the ambitions laid out in the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance serve as a direct reflection of the goal to maintain the global average temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
He referred to this goal as the Pacific’s redline and a guiding principle.
“With these priorities in mind, we must remember that these are international negotiations. Achieving outcomes is about consensus building, rather than voting or boastfulness. We need to foster the consensus required to secure agreements and make decisions collectively,” he explained.
The Finance Minister highlighted that the primary focus should address the escalating impacts of climate change, the ramifications it has on sustainable development and security, and the significant gap between the current financial flows aimed at addressing these challenges and the necessary resources needed to create long-lasting resilience and revamp our economies.
Professor Prasad noted that COP29 presents an essential opportunity to tackle a key aspect of this challenge. He expressed his satisfaction in being able to gather in Suva with partners to further build consensus on the priorities of Pacific Island countries and to empower negotiators to advocate for their interests in Baku.
He stressed the importance of not allowing this opportunity to be undermined by current geopolitical tensions.
“COP29 poses one of the most demanding agendas in recent years. Although it may not be designated as a milestone COP by mandate, it serves as a foundational meeting that will lay the groundwork for the means of implementation and ambition that will drive actions over the coming decades. As such, it represents another crossroads that requires a powerful and united voice across various agendas, issues, and negotiations. It is our duty as public servants to establish a bold and strategic shared narrative that clearly defines our positions to advocate for the interests of the people and future generations,” he added.