Fiji will preside over the next United Nations Conference on Climate Change – – COP 23 in Bonn, Germany, next year.

While accepting the Presidency of COP-23, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said Fiji will use the platform to continue to press for deeper cuts in carbon emissions to reduce global warming even further.

“We are the first Pacific Islands nation to be given this important task and we are acutely aware of the great responsibility that has been entrusted to us.

“As the region of the world that is destined to bear the worst brunt of the effects of climate change, we have been given a crucial platform to put our case.

“And I make the following pledge to our island neighbours and the other low lying nations of the world, along with the rest of the international community.”

Mr Bainimarama said Fiji will do everything in its power to fulfill its duty to place climate change at the very top of the global agenda.

“We will also do everything we can to lobby the industrial countries who are responsible for these emissions to allocate adequate funding – in the form of grants – to enable us to build our resilience and adapt to the terrifying new era that awaits us.”

Mr Bainimarama again appealed to  President-Elect of the United States, Donald Trump, to show leadership on this issue by abandoning his current position that man-made climate change is a hoax.

“I renew my offer to President-Elect Trump to come to Fiji to see the effects of climate change for himself. And to meet Pacific Island leaders face-to-face in Fiji to discuss the crisis we are all facing, along with other low-lying areas of the world including parts of America.

“As the second biggest carbon emitter on earth, the United States must take responsibility for contributing to our collective response to this crisis and show leadership at this critical time.”

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