PM: Climate crisis testing Fiji’s legal system

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has warned that the escalating climate crisis is no longer just an environmental issue but a legal one, testing the ability of Fiji’s courts to protect citizens.

Opening the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting (CLMM) 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Nadi last night, Mr Rabuka told delegates that the impacts of climate change do not stop at coastlines or borders.

Instead, they reach deep into the daily lives of citizens, their homes, and the judicial systems designed to protect them.

The Prime Minister said that the "changing tide" facing the Commonwealth is both literal and metaphorical.

 “It's impacts neither stop at our coastlines nor at borders. They extend into our courts, our institutions, our homes, and the daily lives of our people,” he said.

“Climate change tests the capacity of our legal systems to protect communities, preserve identities, steward resources fairly and uphold stability in times of increasing uncertainty.”

He said that as climate, security, and human mobility become increasingly intertwined, the law must act as a dependable anchor rather than drifting with every new challenge.

Justice as the foundation of resilience

While many nations focus on physical infrastructure to combat rising seas, Mr Rabuka argued that true resilience begins in the courtroom.

“Resilience does not begin with infrastructure or technology alone. It begins with justice — with laws that hold steady under pressure, with institutions strong enough to serve every member of society,” he stated.

The Prime Minister urged law ministers to ensure that the rule of law remains grounded in fairness, making space for mercy while safeguarding the vulnerable who rely on the legal system the most.

Practical cooperation

The theme of this year’s meeting, “Anchoring Justice in a Changing Tide: Strengthening the Rule of Law for a Resilient Future,” was described by the PM as a fitting call to action.

He stressed that the challenges of climate change and digital transformation cannot be met with rhetoric alone.

He called for practical cooperation between Commonwealth nations, sharing of solutions to strengthen institutional integrity and expansion of access to justice to put people at the center of legal systems.

“Ultimately, the rule of law is about empowering communities,” Mr Rabuka said.

“Enabling citizens to seek redress without fear, resolve disputes fairly, protect their livelihoods, and have confidence that the system will serve them regardless of status, income, or geography.”