Peceli Naviticoko 
Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Fiji delegation to COP 29, Professor Biman Prasad says the climate summit provides a great opportunity to take decisive steps towards making real change.
“I think the new finance goal based on evidence would bring that unity, would bring that clarity, would allow us to say this is it, what this group of countries, these regions need, based on evidence – whether its adaptation finance, whether its transitioning to green energy, contributing to mitigation – even though we have been saying it’s not a problem that we have created,” he said, speaking to FBC News in Baku, Azerbaijan.
“There is a real chance to move in that direction at this COP and if that does not happen, then we are not making progress.”
On the question of whether Pacific Island nations vulnerability has been taken seriously by big emitters, Prasad said the polluters know who they are and what they have to do.
“That debate has always been there, the polluter pay principle has been an historical issue and this COP, particularly the negotiations under the new collective quantified goal, getting out of Baku, getting out of COP29 without having a very clear agreement on the new collective quantified finance goal, is not going to be acceptable if there is no agreement.”
