Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad has stated that the financial resources required by Fiji and the wider Pacific region should exceed current available funding by more than tenfold.
In a recent address to members of the COP29 delegation, he highlighted the significant challenges Fiji faces due to climate change.
He mentioned the urgent need for construction of over 200 sea walls, relocation of more than 40 villages, and protection of over 100,000 hectares of farmland from saltwater intrusion. Additionally, he pointed out that numerous village health centers and schools currently lack access to the national electrical grid and require off-grid renewable energy solutions. This has left about 80,000 children in Fiji without the ability to do their homework or read properly due to insufficient electricity access.
Professor Prasad also raised concerns about ongoing damage to infrastructure, which includes island airports, jetties, schools, and health facilities that are in dire need of repair and reconstruction after enduring multiple extreme weather events.
He stressed the necessity of enhancing resilience in medical facilities, as well as ensuring food and water security capable of enduring the impacts of current and future climate changes.
Professor Prasad outlined that these efforts are crucial for securing long-term climate stability for Fiji. He pointed out the complexities surrounding the debate on financial contributors and recipients, emphasizing the need for diplomacy in navigating these contentious issues.
He asserted, “It is vital that we are driven by scientific insights, and remain committed to pragmatism and appropriate compromise whenever political barriers hinder progress.”
Furthermore, he clarified that the ambitions outlined through the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) serve as an important measure of the commitment of developed nations to address the losses and damages Fiji faces now and in the future, as well as a gauge of the viability of a climate-resilient development pathway.
Professor Prasad is set to lead the Fiji delegation at COP29, which will take place in less than three weeks in Baku, Azerbaijan.