Priority be given to climate change adaptation for small states - AG

The Attorney‑General and Minister for Climate Change Aiyaz Sayed‑Khaiyum has urged that priority be given to climate change adaptation for small states as opposed to the adoption of carbon pricing, given their negligible carbon footprints during his address at the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition's High‑Level Assembly.

The Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition’s High‑Level Assembly took place as part of the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund.

At the Assembly, Sayed‑Khaiyum said that climate adaptation and access to climate finance would be key parts of Fiji's agenda for its upcoming presidency of the United Nations negotiations on climate change (COP 23).

He says that the Fijian presidency of COP 23 will work together with all parties involved to drive action on increasing access to climate adaptation finance.

Sayed-Khaiyum adds that there is a need to re‑look at climate finance architecture and re‑evaluate the oppressive amount of effort and often impractical conditions of accessing climate finance.