Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad has stated that the financial requirements for Fiji and the Pacific region should exceed current availability by more than tenfold.
During discussions with members of the COP29 delegation last week, he outlined the significant challenges Fiji is facing due to climate change.
He mentioned the urgent need to construct over 200 sea walls, relocate more than 40 villages, and protect around 100,000 hectares of farmland from saltwater encroachment. In addition, many village health centers and schools that lack access to the national electricity grid require off-grid renewable energy solutions. He highlighted that approximately 80,000 Fijian children are unable to complete homework or read due to a lack of electricity and must be connected to sustainable energy sources.
Professor Prasad also pointed out the long-term damage to critical infrastructure, including island airports, jetties, schools, and health centers, which are in dire need of repair and reconstruction following numerous extreme weather events.
He emphasized the need to enhance resilience across health centers and medical facilities while ensuring food and water security that can endure current and future climate impacts.
Furthermore, he remarked that these factors are essential for achieving long-term climate security in Fiji.
The issue is further complicated by ongoing debates regarding contributors to climate finance.
Professor Prasad noted that the traditional divisions between donors and recipients are increasingly contested, requiring careful diplomatic navigation. He stressed that political obstacles should not hinder progress, advocating for a focus on scientific guidance and pragmatism to reach appropriate compromises.
He underlined the importance of the ambition set through the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) as a measure to maintain global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
According to him, this ambition reflects the commitment of developed nations to address the loss and damage experienced by vulnerable countries and indicates the feasibility of future climate-resilient development pathways.
Professor Prasad is set to lead the Fiji delegation to COP29, which will take place in less than three weeks in Baku, Azerbaijan.