A delegation of 55 members has been appointed to represent Fiji at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22, 2024.
Approximately 90% of the funding for this delegation’s travel to Azerbaijan is sourced externally.
Fiji’s primary objective at COP29 will center on the escalating impacts of climate change, examining how these effects influence sustainable development and security, which are essential for building long-lasting resilience. This emphasis was articulated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, during the announcement of the delegation.
“At COP28, Parties committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels. This must be a foundational principle driving the negotiations in Baku, ensuring it is echoed in the revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that must be submitted in five months. We need to be assertive and relentless in demanding that NDCs align with the Paris Agreement. This NDC cycle is critical in meeting the vital 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature threshold,” he stated.
As head of the Fiji delegation, Prasad expressed their goal of emerging from the negotiations with their priorities intact to effectively address the challenges facing Fiji.
“You have all heard our Prime Minister emphasize the need to reorient global efforts to keep temperature rise below 1.5 degrees. This is our red line and guiding principle. We will not rest until this target is secured, as we owe it to future generations. Our children and grandchildren won’t forgive us if we lose the means to enable adaptation. We owe this to our brothers and sisters in Tuvalu and Kiribati,” Prasad declared.
Prasad went on to say, “We owe this to families across the Pacific islands.”
He indicated that the agenda for COP29 aligns closely with discussions held during last month’s Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga and the recent UN General Assembly session in New York.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized Fiji’s commitment to addressing loss and damage experienced by its citizens.
“The overarching focus remains on the intensifying impacts of climate change and its downstream effects on sustainable development and security. There is a significant gap between the funding currently available for these challenges and the necessary financing needed to build lasting resilience and transform our economies,” Prasad noted.
The Fijian delegation is expected to depart for COP29 in the next two weeks.