PM, A-G part of virtual Blue PACIfiC Forum
PRIME Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and the Attorney-General and Minister responsible for Climate Change Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum participated virtually at the high-level Blue Pacific to Glasgow Forum last week.
The Forum was organised by the 45th Vice President of the United States, Al Gore and hosted by The Climate Reality Project and the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute.
Prime Minister Bainimarama delivered powerful opening remarks calling on world leaders to take heed of the climate emergency, raise climate ambition, operationalise these ambitions to keep global average temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius and mobilise dedicated climate finance for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
He urged leaders to arrive at COP26 in Glasgow with meaningful climate commitments.
During the Forum’s high level panel event, the A-G highlighted the critical need to include Oceans into the global climate negotiations.
The A-G emphasised the importance of urgently mobilising US $100 billion (approx. FJ$209.4b) per year in climate finance and scaling this up to US $750 billion per year post 2025 of which at least 10 per cent needs to flow to Small Island Developing States.
He added the need to increase participation of the private sector and the important role played by development partners to de-risk private sector investment.
The A-G emphasised that COVID-19 should not be used as an excuse by development partners to scale back development finance.
New Zealand’s Minister for Climate, James Shaw had also joined the discussions.