Josefa Sigavolavola 
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is urging lawmakers to incorporate guidance from river and coastal communities to strengthen Fiji’s environmental laws.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya made the call during a Continuing Legal Education training program in Suva today.
Tabuya stressed that traditional knowledge plays a critical role in shaping policies that protect both ecosystems and the livelihoods that depend on them. Lawyers, judges, and enforcement officers were encouraged to integrate centuries of local environmental practices into modern legal frameworks.
“We as lawyers should not be bound or limited to legal precedent; we should look at legal ideas because we shape the law that ultimately ends up in court and ultimately ends up in Parliament.”
She noted that coastal and riverine communities have long practiced sustainable management of mangroves, fisheries, and waterways—knowledge that remains vital to Fiji’s sustainability efforts.
“I have experienced technical staff expertise, but what we do need is more lawyers in this space.”
Also speaking at the event, Frauke Bartels from GIZ encouraged environmental lawyers to take on stronger advocacy roles to ensure legal frameworks protect both natural resources and communities.
“We hope that you challenge your thinking, strengthen your practise and deepen your interests to protect Fiji’s remarkable coastal heritage for the communities who depend on it and for the generations who will inherit it.”
The Ministry says integrating traditional practices with modern legal structures will help develop policies that are culturally informed, scientifically grounded, and more effective in protecting Fiji’s ecosystems for future generations.
