Climate change needs to be addressed urgently.

The was the message that youth activist Pallawish Kumar made sure that leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Ministerial conference on Disaster Risk Reduction 2022 were aware of.

The conference was held in Brisbane, Queensland last week at the Brisbane Conference and Exhibition Centre.

Mr Kumar highlighted that welfare of youths in Fiji was one of our Government’s priorities and one of its main focuses is to see young Fijians treated fairly as part of its commitment to an inclusive policy for all Fijians.

“As a youth from Fiji, I bear witness to the adversities of constant changing of weather patterns and climate change in one way or the other every single day,” Mr Kumar said.

“The actions of larger nations such as fossil fuel based consumption hunger of the developed world continue to have devastating effects on us Small Island Developing States (SIDS) who remain at the forefront of climate change.”

“Rising global temperatures are decreasing food security and eroding livelihoods as changing weather patterns negate traditional farming and fishing practices. Current and future generations will not be able to live in harmony with the environment.”

Mr Kumar reminded the leaders that there was a time the elders did not have to worry about growing climate adversities.

He added that Fijian leaders were already fighting to place the plight of the Pacific at the forefront of global climate disclosure.

“When I grow old I want to see my children and their children be able to enjoy the beauties of nature as I did which is our blue ecosystem; the pristine greenery of the Pacific and the unique culture of the Pacific that is tied so closely with our climate and our environment,” Mr Kumar said.

“I hope that we can bind together and address climate change urgently. The world demands it and our future generations demand this. We have solutions, let’s make it work for us.”
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