WHY CLIMATE CHANGE IS A SERIOUS MATTER OF SURVIVAL FOR ALL FIJIANS
THE QUALITY OF OUR FUTURE WILL DEPEND ON HOW BEST WE DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES WE FACE NOW Much is at stake and the Government has rolled out plans to deal with the challenges
What does it mean when we talk about making national development sustainable, inclusive, resilient and low carbon?
An essential part of the narrative is climate change adaptation and mitigation.
It is a fact and a modern reality that climate change has a powerful influence on the way we live and do business. We cannot ignore it. If we do we do it at our own peril.
Mother nature has its own way of dealing with its issues. When we upset its balance, we incur its wrath in the form of cyclones, floods, rising sea
level, and tidal waves. We also need to prepare for earthquakes and tsunamis.
There was a time when we threw all kinds of rubbish in the rivers and seas without thinking.
We thought nature would take care of itself through a self-cleansing process where the rubbish was broken down magically.
The low tide would sweep the rubbish out to sea and clean water would come in during high tide.
When we burned wood, plastics, rubbish, and industrial waste through factory incinerators, the smoke disappeared into the air. We later learned this was pollution, the same as black fumes, coming from the exhaust pipes of cars and trucks.
These fumes are carbon emissions that contribute to global warming which in turn causes sea level rise and extreme weather conditions like severe cyclones.
The wild weather patterns that we have been experiencing are caused by climate change.
The Government says the adverse impacts of climate change continue to present the single greatest threat to our development aspirations.
The devastating effects of a cyclone can wipe away years of economic growth.
Rising sea level has already forced the relocation of some coastal settlements and continues to threaten others.
Food sources from the land and the sea also face serious threats. Land that previously was suitable for farming has now been laid waste because sea water has seeped in.
Marine resources are also being affected because of poisonous waste like industrial chemicals and plastics being flushed into the sea. If we fail to do anything now to stop throwing away rubbish indiscriminately then we are culpable too in the destruction of our marine resources.
We will not be able to achieve long term sustainability of our food production because of depleting resources whether it is for local consumption or exports. It will have a negative impact on our economy.
While there are laws to protect our environment, what is lacking is adequate enforcement.
Littering has worsened pollution for us to the extent that it is threatening to choke the life out of our oceans and the sustainability of marine life and seafood resources.
There should be zero tolerance against pollution. Anyone breaching the rules should be held to account. While we lead the charge, through Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama’s leadership in the world Oceans and Climate Change campaign we need to live by example. Government has declared that there are plans “to live out the same expectations it is demanding from the rest of the world.”
It is committed to invest in climate mitigation and adaptation projects to build climate resilience, reduce national greenhouse emissions and implement transformative environmental conservation initiatives.
It has allocated $180.1 million which will fund 27 projects.
Funding is a major component of the climate change battle. Without it, it would be difficult to pay for local climate change projects.
The introduction of the Environmental Climate Adaptation Levy (ECAL) has been a revelation. Government has announced a 10 per cent levy on imports white goods including phones, washing machines, freezers/refrigerator, dryers, electric stoves, television, air conditioners, dishwashers and microwaves.
Other initiatives include a plastic ban from January 1 next year. The price of plastic bags will jump from 20 cents to 50 cents at the same time.
The next step should be a plastic-free Fiji.