A Hopeful Presidency

If you have been following our blog, hopefully you get the gist of what goes on at COP23. But what do you know about the president country of COP23? Fiji is a small island developing nation in the South Pacific region. Island countries like Fiji see the impact of climate change first hand as they are hit the hardest with regards to sea level rise and extreme weather patterns. Fiji is just one island nation amongst many who are trying to keep their heads above the water.

Vunidogoloa was the first village in Fiji to be relocated to higher ground in 2007. However, the people do not call it relocation, they believe the term forced migration is more accurate. The people are attached to their land and reluctant to leave because their whole lives are built around that environment. Climate change is forcing entire villages out of the places they call home by flooding their houses and taking away their source of income. Fijians mostly fish for a living but coral bleaching on shorelines, a direct result of climate change, leads to a loss of fish in these areas. Also, when Fijians are relocated to higher ground, they can no longer rely on the ocean for work and food.

Climate change is not just changing the climate but people's way of life. Cyclone Winston hit Fiji last year with surprising strength, creating damage worth up to 30% of their GDP. Luckily, the storm avoided Fiji's tourist centers which are the main sources of income. The Fijian Prime Minister and President of COP23, Frank Bainimarama, is hopeful for his people and the rest of the world. the Fijians are resilient in the face of disaster, and Prime Minister Bainimarama hopes to bring this resiliency into every developmental decision made. He addresses his audiences as friends and it is very clear that he is honored, humble, and hopeful to be at the forefront of COP23. To show you the core of his message, I will end with his own words. "If I can do anything to assist the cause of the vulnerable nations--to draw attention to their challenges, let alone progress the climate action agenda, it will have been well worth it."

Julia M.