Fiji has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2030
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama made the announcement at the official opening of the Wainisavulevu Weir Raising Project in Naitasiri this morning only a month away from the COP21 Summit in Paris.
Bainimarama says this is an enormous commitment for a nation of our size and stage of development.
He says proportionally, Fiji’s target is a much bigger sacrifice than the same percentage of commitment by any industrialized nation because we are starting from such a low base with almost negligible carbon emissions in the first place.
The country’s total share of global emissions is 0.004 percent.
Bainimarama says Fiji will achieve its target by drastically reducing carbon emissions in our energy sector – revealing that by 2030, the country intends to generate 99 per cent of its electricity needs from renewable sources such as water or the sun, up from around 60 per cent in 2013.
He adds, Fiji’s target is responsible, achievable and fair – adding it certainly is the best that we can do within the constraints we face as a developing country.
Last week, Bainimarama singled out Australia for its high per capita carbon emissions.
Today, the Prime Minister appealed to the rest of the industrialized world to do more.
Bainimarama has asked all nations to agree to the provisions of the recent Suva Declaration, which sets a limit of 1.5 degrees centigrade warming on pre-industrial levels, rather than the 2 degrees target that is currently on the agenda in Paris – and for these cuts to be legally binding on the global community.
Bainimarama says Fiji is deeply concerned at the expert opinion warning that the current Intended Nationally Determined Contribution reductions being submitted for Paris will exceed even the 2 degree limit.
He says a much more drastic approach is clearly needed.
Bainimarama has asked the diplomatic representatives present at the ceremony today in Naitasiri to convey Fiji’s deepest concerns to their own governments that not nearly enough is being done to avert catastrophe.
