The Drua Incubator Partnership and Project Coordinator at the Prime Minister’s Office Krishan Pratap has reiterated the importance of aligning initiatives and projects related to climate change with Fiji’s Climate Change Act.

This legislation, which has already been gazetted in Parliament, is poised to be implemented in the near future, ushering in a new era of climate action in the country.

Pratap states that his team is dedicated to working for the benefit of communities, ensuring that climate change investments truly serve the needs of the people rather than solely benefiting investors.

“The fact is we are currently trying to have all these parts implemented but there are steps which we are following and so most probably in the years to come not years but months to come, it will be fully implemented and everyone has to follow through this climate change Act and if there’s any initiatives such as carbon markets, private sector have been heavily interested in carbon markets and so just an advice, if there is any initiative and project, it has to go through this Climate Change Act, if it’s not then it won’t go through because we are the implementing agency.”

Pratap is encouraging everyone to visit the climate change portal to gain a deeper understanding of the government’s efforts and engagement with the private sector.

Highlighting a previous successful initiative, Ambalika Devi, Executive of Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation, mentioned the implementation of the MClimate SMS channel in 2014.

“In terms of climate change. As you know, disaster response and providing connectivity and communication to the remote communities to currently those where there is no towers, you will see some satellite being installed.”

This channel effectively disseminated messages on climate change, fostering greater awareness and understanding among the public.

At the core of Fiji’s Climate Change Act are ambitious objectives aimed at protecting vulnerable communities and their rights.

The Act sets a target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and establishes a legal framework to facilitate carbon sequestration, carbon stocks, and emissions reduction projects.

As Fiji eagerly awaits the implementation of the Climate Change Act, the nation is poised to become a leader in climate action, safeguarding Fijians and the environment for generations to come.

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.