Apenisa Waqairadovu 
UAE Special Envoy to the Pacific, Omar Shehadeh (left), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad [Source: Ministry of Finance, Fiji/ Facebook]
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad stresses the urgent changes posed by climate change during a meeting with the UAE Special Envoy to the Pacific, Omar Shehadeh.
Prasad highlights the Pacific’s vulnerability, noting that it accounts for six of the world’s top 20 disaster-prone countries.
He says despite this, the region receives only about $US220 million annually in climate finance, a fraction of the estimated $US2 billion needed to effectively address climate adaptation and a transition to renewable energy.
The Deputy Prime Minister also reiterates Fiji’s commitment to the outcomes of COP28, including cutting emissions by 43 percent by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050.
Professor Prasad also acknowledges the UAE’s support for Fiji, particularly in renewable energy projects and education, expressing optimism for continued collaboration to tackle the pressing climate challenges facing the Pacific region.
