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Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Mosese Bulitavu, clarified in Parliament yesterday that there are currently no confirmed relocation sites for communities affected by climate change.

Responding to opposition queries regarding the 50 villages reportedly needing relocation and the mention of 19 additional communities, Bulitavu explained that these communities have only been identified for assessment, and no evacuation orders have been issued.

He emphasised that relocation is treated as a last resort, only considered after all other adaptation options and resources have been exhausted, and only with full community consent.

“Fiji treats planned relocation strictly as the last resort, and our SOP relocation can only proceed after all adaptation options have been exhausted and only with full community consent through a process grounded in free, prior, and informed consent. The 19 communities mentioned are a subset of 43 communities screened since 2021”

Minister added that some communities have already implemented adaptation measures such as seawalls, supported by donor funding, while others remain under assessment through a rigorous two-tier vetting process coordinated at the divisional level.

Bulitavu noted that the Ministry, through the Fiji Task Force on Relocation and Displacement, is leading efforts to secure additional funding for future relocation needs.

He also highlighted ongoing work to expedite the implementation of coastal adaptation seawalls in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, focusing on communities urgently requiring protection.

Communities identified as needing urgent seawall construction include Vutua in Nadroga, Sese and Loa in Cakaudrove, Sogobiau and Namama in Macuata, Namuana in Kadavu, Sayoko in Ra, and Nabuna in Koro.

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