COP26 President visits Fiji

COP26 President Alok Sharma is in Fiji to see the impacts of climate change in the Pacific region.

He will highlight the urgency for the biggest emitters to take action now and deliver the promise of the Glasgow Climate Pact signed by almost 200 countries at COP26.

His visit continues the work of the UK COP Presidency to press for updated climate commitments from all countries ahead of COP27 in Egypt, aligned with the crucial goal of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

Sharma will meet ministers to discuss how to build on the main achievements of COP26, including adaptation, loss and damage and climate finance.

The COP26 President will visit Buretu village in Tailevu to witness the impact of climate change on the lives of Fijians.

The village is suffering from severe weather events driven by climate change, including regular flooding which causes significant damage to property, crops and village land.

Despite these impacts, the villagers have chosen to remain in place and fight to keep their homes.

The COP President will hold an open dialogue with the Pacific High-Level Champions for COP in Suva, and hear from leaders of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific, to discuss the region’s priorities for COP27 and how the UK can help realise them.

He will also deliver a keynote address at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Sharma says he is pleased to be visiting Fiji and working to champion the issues which matter most to Pacific partners.

He adds Fiji and other island states are at the front line of climate change, having to adapt to the impacts of global warming which they have not been responsible for causing.

Sharma also states that urgent action is needed to limit global temperature increase to below 1.5 degrees and help build prosperous, low-carbon, resilient economies across the planet.

during his visit he looks forward to meeting with government ministers to discuss how the UK and Fiji can cooperate on delivering ambitious climate action.

He looks forward to engaging with youth groups and civil society to learn more about the issues that matter to them.