The threat that climate change poses to the entire world is undoubtedly the greatest collective challenge humanity has ever faced.
These were the words of Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Climate Change Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama at the opening of the Asia‑Pacific Broadcasting Union 2018 Media Summit on Climate Change and Pacific Media Partnership Conference in Denarau, Nadi this morning.
Sayed- Khaiyum says the resulting natural disasters pose a particular threat to vulnerable nations everywhere, including the Asia Pacific.
He says it is an unprecedented crisis that everyone must face together and every single person on earth should help to reverse the damage to the planet that everyone has inflicted with their lifestyles.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the current culture of abuse should be replaced with a culture of preservation and care.
He says the message the Prime Minister takes wherever he goes as COP President is that great things are happening in the global quest to make the transition from dirty energy such as fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy such as hydro, solar and wind.
He says the technology is already emerging- such as battery storage - to ensure adequate energy supply and still make the cuts in carbon emissions that are needed to meet the most ambitious target of the Paris Agreement - to limit the average global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above that of the pre-industrial age.
The Attorney General says in 15 days’ time Fiji will mark the second anniversary of the deaths of 44 people in Tropical Cyclone Winston - the biggest storm ever to make landfall in the southern hemisphere.
He says two years on Fiji is still in the process of recovering and still rebuilding schools and other public infrastructure.
The Minister says this time, the buildings will be built to a much higher standard to withstand the more frequent and more destructive cyclones that are coming because of climate change.
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