Climate-related Disasters Threaten Fiji’s National Security: Bainimarama
Climate-related disasters are among major threats to Fiji’s national security, said Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. He was speaking during the launch of the Disaster Risk Reduction Policy, at the Holiday Inn in Suva, yesterday.
Mr Bainimarama said: “This policy is one part of a wide-reaching national agenda to dramatically improve our resilience to climate change impacts of all scales.”
“This document provides the policy and legal framework that supports how we fund, manage and integrate disaster risk management across every level of governance.
“It covers our preparedness before storms, to immediate emergency responses, to the nationwide effort to rebuild to cyclone-resilient standards. “This job is too big for government alone. Every person, every business and every organisation must play a role in preparing for worsening disasters,” he said.
“The policy is one part of a wide-reaching national agenda to dramatically improve our resilience to climate impacts of all scales.
“We’re building seawalls, evacuation centres and early warning systems; relocating communities, planting mangroves and boosting our agroresilience.”
Mr Bainimarama recently returned from Madrid, Spain, where he represented Fiji at the 25th round of the UN climate change negotiations (COP 25).
“After many intense rounds of negotiations, Fiji helped secure recognition of the oceans role in managing the climate, a critical first step to engraining ocean preservation into the larger climate action campaign,” Mr Bainimarama said.
“However, many nations still needlessly stalled in cutting emissions, making 2020 the most important year for climate action.
“Throughout the year ahead, Fiji will be putting the pressure on every world leader- in government and business alike-to make the necessary cuts in emissions to spare our world from the worst of climate impacts.”
Mr Bainimarama acknowledged the Government of Japan’s partnership and for sharing its expertise with Fiji.