Intervention by the Speaker – “Climate realities across SIDS: Parliamentary leadership on the frontlines”

Intervention by the Speaker the Hon. Filimone Jitoko

On the Occasion of the 6th World Conference of Speakers – Side-event – “Climate realities across SIDS: Parliamentary leadership on the frontlines”

30 July 2025

Geneva, SWITZERLAND

“Climate realities across SIDS: Parliamentary leadership on the frontlines”

• Honourable Chair and President of the 6th World Conference of Speakers
• Madam President of the IPU and Secretary-General of the IPU
• Honourable Speakers of Parliament
• Our Esteemed Moderator His Excellency Mr Matthew Wilson
• Ladies and Gentlemen

Bula Vinaka and warm greetings to you all!

It’s genuinely a privilege to be here with you all, especially during the 6th World Conference of Speakers. The theme—“Climate Realities Across SIDS: Parliamentary Leadership on the Frontlines”—hits close to home for us in Fiji. We’re not just talking climate change; we’re living it, every day.

Let me paint you a picture.

Imagine your shoreline slowly vanishing. Saltwater creeps into your farmland, your food crops die off, and then the storms roll in—harder, faster, more frequent. That’s the reality in Fiji. Some of our coastal villages have had to pack up and move inland, saying goodbye to ancestral lands that hold centuries of family history. That’s the kind of loss you feel deep in your bones.

And it’s not just us. Back in 1992, at the Rio Summit, the world acknowledged that SIDS—small island developing states—were the most vulnerable group of nations. Fast forward to now, and that vulnerability has only intensified. For countries like ours with small populations and economies, the climate crisis threatens not just development—but existence.

You’ve probably heard of Tropical Cyclone Winston. It hit us in 2016 and was the most powerful storm the Southern Hemisphere’s ever seen. We lost 44 lives. We’re still rebuilding. And now? Storms like that are becoming more common. Sobering, right?

But here’s where the story shifts: we’re not just weathering the storm—we’re taking action. 

In Parliament, we’ve taken real steps:

• Fiji was actually the first country to ratify the Paris Agreement.
• In 2021, we passed our Climate Change Act—a legal framework that binds our Government to emission targets and builds a national response strategy, from mitigation to adaptation.

We’re walking the talk:

• We eliminated single-use plastic water bottles in the Chamber.
• We’ve gone digital with e-Parliament, massively cutting down on paper waste.
• It’s all part of our push to be a genuinely green Parliament.

Money matters too. On July 17, we passed our 2025 budget, and:

• We allocated FJ$10.8 million to our Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
• That money’s going toward climate-resilient planning, supporting line ministries, and pushing Fiji’s voice in international climate talks.
• We’re also funding the implementation of our Climate Change Act and giving serious attention to coastal protection, tax relief for green transitions, and our advocacy at COP31. 

We keep it transparent and accountable:

• Ministerial Statements update Parliament and the public. Just this May, we heard updates on:
• The “30 by 30” ocean conservation target.
• The relocation of Nabavatu Village, which is facing erosion and sea-level rise.

Question Time in Parliament is another key space. MPs raise the tough issues:

• “How’s the relocation going?”
• “Are we getting enough climate finance?”
• “What’s the status of the Climate Change Act rollout?”

And don’t forget our Parliamentary Committees:

• They dig into climate legislation, consult communities, and table recommendations that shape policy.
• The Justice, Law and Human Rights Committee, for instance, helped refine the Climate Change Bill before it became law.
• So, yeah, Fiji might be small—but we’re making big moves. Our Parliament is a voice for our people, a driver of climate leadership, and a champion for future generations.
• This isn’t just a national mission—it’s a shared global challenge. And we’re ready to keep pushing forward with determination, partnerships, and real action.

Thank you so much for sharing this space. Let’s keep the conversation going—and keep holding each other accountable.

-ENDS-