Leader of the Opposition calls for global solidarity to address climate threats facing SIDS

In a panel discussion on the impact of global warming in the margins of the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, the Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Inia Seruiratu delivered a strong plea for urgent global action to address the escalating threat of climate change to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), calling for solidarity and decisive measures from the international parliamentary community.

He echoed the powerful message delivered by Speaker of Parliament the Hon. Filimone Jitoko, who stated during the general debate: “For Fiji, the climate crisis is not a distant possibility – it is a lived reality.”

Highlighting the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, Hon. Seruiratu revealed that six Fijian communities have already been relocated, with 42 more facing imminent displacement due to rising sea levels and environmental degradation.

He emphasised that climate change is not a future threat but a present crisis, particularly for SIDS, where adaptation is a matter of survival.

“Mitigation is everyone’s responsibility. More mitigation now means less adaptation later. But for us, adaptation is about survival,” Hon. Seruiratu stressed.

Calling for adaptation funding, he urged the international community to revisit Article 2 of the Paris Agreement and reaffirm the 1.5°C target.

“Why 1.5? So that we can stay alive. That is our main statement.”

Hon. Seruiratu outlined the real and immediate impacts of climate change on SIDS, including rising sea levels, global warming and forced displacement. He warned that these are not hypothetical scenarios but current realities affecting lives, cultures, and economies.

“Our people are being forced to leave ancestral lands. Our economies are fragile. Our future is uncertain. This is not just a climate issue – it is a human issue.”

He further noted that the right to survival – an essential component of the right to life, is under direct threat in Fiji due to climate-induced degradation and extreme weather events.

“The increasing severity and frequency of cyclones and floods are pushing the limits of adaptation and resilience, leaving Fiji’s economy in a perpetual state of recovery.”

Hon. Seruiratu called on the global parliamentary community to take bold and collective action.

“The survival of SIDS depends on collective responsibility and decisive action. We cannot afford to wait. IPU is where politicians meet, we need decision-makers, political will and commitment.”

Speaker Hon. Filimone Jitoko also underscored the cultural dimension of the crisis, stating:

“Let us not forget that we are not only talking about the cost and loss of living space, but equally important, the destruction of the traditional links to the land, our heritage and our culture.”