Shania Shayal Prasad 
Fiji is taking a hard line ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, warning that the world is running out of time to avert catastrophic warming and demanding stronger commitments from major emitters.
Minister for Climate Change Mosese Bulitavu says COP30 will be a critical test of global leadership, with current pledges pushing the world toward 2.4 degrees of warming, a threat to Pacific survival.
He says the country’s top priority is to demand that all countries strengthen their national emission targets under a proposed global NDC response plan.
Bulitavu says the second priority focuses on adaptation, with calls for a new global goal on adaptation, increased funding, and a clear framework to monitor progress.
He states that the third priority is ocean-climate action.
“Without our voice, the collective voice of the small island developing states, the global response to climate crisis would fail to account for those of us who are affected by least responsible.”
Bulitavu says the delegation includes 22 technical negotiators and four ministerial representatives, with 75 percent of costs covered by external partners.
He confirmed that Fiji will co-chair negotiations to guide the operationalisation of the new loss and damage fund.
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