PM BAINIMARAMA CONCERNED THAT THE WORLD IS HEADED TO THE WRONG SIDE OF 1.5 DEGREES OF WARMING

Prime Minister Bainimarama in his meeting today with the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, acknowledged the UN for its immense role in the global response to the COVID-19 crisis, adding that Fiji is preparing for economic recovery, however, any scope of stability will be lost without collective global action to address the underlying threat of climate crisis.

PM Bainimarama at the meeting explained to the Secretary General that he is deeply concerned that the world is still headed to the wrong side of 1.5 degrees of warming and that this is a moral, economic and strategic failure that Fiji must condemn in the strongest possible terms.

The Prime Minister also articulated Fiji’s COP26 priorities, stating that Fiji is seeking meaningful outcomes in four areas which include greater climate ambition from all countries, increased resource mobilisation for adaptation and loss and damage, creating permanence of oceans in the UNFCCC agenda and promoting the ocean-climate nexus and improving access to affordable climate finance.

At the meeting, the Prime Minister took the opportunity to personally congratulate Mr. Guterres on his re-appointment as the UN Secretary-General and his Report to the 76th Session of the UNGA on Our Common Agenda for a future that is better, greener, and safer – and as the Prime Minister added at UNGA, “Bluer.”

The Prime Minister reaffirmed Fiji’s support to the United Nations and requested the support of the UN in helping Fiji seize any new opportunities for engagements and innovative partnerships within the multilateral sphere.

He also extended an invitation to Mr. Guterres to visit Fiji once again given Fiji’s international borders will open on 1st December, 2021.