Pacific Region United for Urgent Climate Action at UN Climate Conference
History is in the making with Fiji presiding over the Twenty-Third Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP23).
It’s the first time a Pacific island nation has led the global climate conference that will bring together up to 25,000 people, “Uniting for Climate Action, Further, Faster – Together.” Pacific Leaders are united behind Fiji’s COP23 presidency, recognising the unique opportunity that this meeting provides to the region, to build on the outcome of the United Nations Conference earlier this year, and ensure larger nations consider some of the critical issues facing small island developing states.
“The Pacific islands have demonstrated world leadership when it comes to climate change with high renewable energy targets that are on track to being met, being among the first to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement, empowering country parties to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, and now Fiji’s status as COP President which we congratulate and fully support, said Director General Mr. Kosi Latu of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Supporting Fiji’s Presidency of COP23 must be a priority for the region,” said Pacific Island Forum Secretary General, Dame Meg Taylor.
Together, our Pacific nations must continue to tell the global community that urgent and ambitious action is needed to address climate change, including the provision of finance to implement Nationally Determined Contributions, finalisation of the Paris Agreement guidelines by 2018, and an inclusive process to elaborate the Facilitative “Talanoa” Dialogue.” “Fiji’s Prime Minister and COP23 President, Hon. Voreqe Bainimarama rightly said that when it comes to climate change, “we are all in the same canoe.
We need to come together and act or else things are only going to get worse. Jointly, parties have the power to ensure smooth sailing ahead. This is the time to demonstrate leadership, “ said The University of the South Pacific (USP) Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Rajesh Chandra.
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