Sainiani Boila 
[Photo: FILE] Pre COP to be held in Nadi next week,
iTaukei resource owners will have a greater role in Fiji’s climate discussions, with communities being encouraged to take their concerns and traditional knowledge to the upcoming Pacific Pre-COP.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Lynda Tabuya says the National Resource Owners Committee is an important platform for landowners to influence environmental policy.
She says resource owners from all 14 provinces have been briefed on Fiji’s Pre-COP preparations.
Tabuya says delegates attending international meetings must also report back to their communities on the outcomes.
She says this will ensure traditional knowledge and community-led solutions are included in climate negotiations.
Issues raised through the committee include village waste management, development consultations, river and reef health, and the protection of traditional knowledge.
Fiji will host the Pacific Pre-COP in Denarau, Nadi from Monday to Thursday, ahead of COP31 in Türkiye.
