Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad at COP29

It is vital to ensure that the discussions at COP29 lay the foundation for a world in which every community can thrive despite the challenges.

This was highlighted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad at a high-level session on “Pacific Youth on Climate Mobility” at COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Professor Prasad says discussions at the Climate Mobility Pavilion are vital as millions of people face the risk of displacement due to rising sea levels, severe weather and other climate threats.

This is not a distant threat, he adds, but a daily reality for communities in low-lying countries and vulnerable areas.

Through international cooperation and innovative solutions, we must work to preserve cultural heritage, protect maritime zones, and adopt frameworks that ensure the continuity of statehood and rights in the face of existential climate threats, says Professor Prasad.

He adds that young people are on the front lines as those affected and, most importantly, agents of change that provide resilience and hope.

DPM says it saw youth leadership in Fiji as Fiji developed its Standard Operating Procedures for planned relocation; This is a process that drives the Fijian Government’s commitment to respond effectively to the crisis.
The need to relocate communities is increasing due to the effects of climate change.