CLIMATE Debate: Don't blame Australia, where is Fiji's INDC, Opposition Shadow Minister for Environment Niko Nawaikula asks Bainimarama

29/10/2015

Statement
[95 of 29/10/2015]

Opposition Environment Shadow Minister, Hon Niko Nawaikula today slammed Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama to stop using cheap opportunistic politics and singling out Australia's emissions but instead focus on what he could control such as Fiji's mandated reporting obligation under the UNFCCC, the Intentional Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC).

“Bainimarama is in environmental denial and fools no one by grandstanding to heighten an international climate change profile aided by PR stunts when Fiji has not yet submitted its own INDC that the Fiji Focus edition of 28 June 20151 stated was going to be submitted in September 2015. Even fellow Pacific Islander the Marshall Islands a smaller country to ours has managed to submit their INDC, so what is the problem?” said Nawaikula.
“We missed the opportunity in Bonn last week to table our INDC so that we are a legitimate part of the international climate change conversation. Taking it to Paris is not helpful to other UNFCCC parties who have submitted theirs and will only take the already slow negotiations progress backwards”, said Hon Nawaikula.

Nawaikula added that Fiji was bound by UNFCC COP decisions1/CP.19 and 1/CP.202 where parties were supposed to submit INDCs well in advance of COP 21 (by the first quarter of 2015). “Now we understand that the Attorney General's office will also wade into climate change, and while that is welcome, having three separate Departments like Environment, Foreign Affairs and AG's Chambers all pushing for the same thing will only lead to turf wars within the government machinery when government resources are already thin,” said Nawaikula.

“The truest measure of Fiji's sincerity on climate change is what is happening here on our shores. It is no secret that industrialized countries have high emissions, but unsurprisingly Fiji is not as aggressively vocal towards China, India, the EU and the USA? Current 'Quid Quo Pro' arrangements should not weaken Fiji's unequivocal stand on climate change and our ability to thrive in the face of dire climate change impacts depends on whatever outcome will be agreed to in Paris this December”, stated Nawaikula.

“The real test of Bainimarama's sincerity on climate change before they head to the Paris Climate talks and Fiji's supposed low-carbon pathway and 'green growth' will be evident when his Government tables their 2016 Budget on 06 November to see whether they will invest in truly renewable energy and other environmentally sound approaches in their budget policies”, said Nawaikula.

“Bainimarama continues to laud the Suva Declaration yet the political uptake among our other Pacific colleagues has been pitiful and has only divided unity such as that in our primary negotiation bloc AOSIS”, added Nawaikula.

“The People are not fooled and ideally Parliament and The People should have oversight over Fiji's position at the Paris Climate Change talks as Standing Order 130 dictates but we are not surprised when the Government has selective amnesia on what Standing Order they will abide by”, added Nawaikula.

Authorized By
Niko Nawaikula
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4 Comments

Charlie Charlie

29/10/2015 09:34:20 am

Niko should learn to stick to his specialised area of law. Opening his mouth unnecessarily is doing more harm than good for the opposition. He is better suited to be opposition spokesperson in law. He should challenge Kaiyum on laws being implemented. What he is harping about is a non-issue and not relevant to sway voters as majority don't care. Stick with what won you votes Niko.

King Rat

29/10/2015 10:55:54 am

Niko and SODELPA has once again shown themselves to be dickheads about the Climate Change debate.

There is no point re-gurgitating the international debate about this issue.

In this case, stupid Niko is trying to blame Frank Bainimarama for the world's failure to resolve the issue. Pleeeeaaassse..!

O lei, mosi ga na ulu vei iratou oqo (severe headaches from this mob)

No Cop Out

29/10/2015 11:41:11 am

Actually Nawaikula has made a very good point. Bainimarama has been poorly advised. He is ranting about his hope that the COP 21 meeting in Paris will not be a cop out meaning the failure for countries to reach an agreement when even before delivering his prepared speech already 150 countries representing 90% of global carbon emissions have made their pledges to curb carbon emission, leading to hopes for a deal at the Paris Climate summit. Fiji has actually surpassed the deadline for countries to file tbeir pledges or INDCs (intended nationally determined contributions) to curb carbon emissions.

While the Suva Declaration seeks to limit the global average temperature to increase to less than 1.5 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels and for the Paris agreement to be legally binding on all parties the emerging consensus among the 150 countries responsibe for 90 per cent of global emissions – including big emitters like China and India who are supposed to be Fiji’s friends -- would still put the world on track for global warming rise of 3C (around 9F). But they could be adjusted in the future to meet the 2C target recommended by international scientists. And sorry to disappoint the proponents of the Suva Declaration the Paris agreement will be non binding but voluntary commitments.
The world media is already reporting a growing certainty among diplomats that a deal will be signed in Paris, succeeding the 1992 Kyoto protocol. By the time the US withdrew from it in 2005, Kyoto only covered 35 countries, and 14% of the world’s emissions. In contrast. the 150 countries who have already made pledges cover 90% of global emissions. So far from being a cop out the Paris talks will reach an agreement but not that which the Suva Declaration demands.

The result in Paris is already a fait accompli. The PM should stop acting as if he will make a difference in Paris. In fact, he should save tax payers money and stay at home and work out ways Fiji can access the annual $20bn Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund to help the 833 communities in Fiji identified as facing a risk from climate change.

What a Joke

29/10/2015 11:50:37 pm

At a special summit of the UN General Assembly last month Fiji’s PM used the opportunity of his podium address to rail against carbon emitters, the industrialised countries as a group that he does not wish to name individually except for singling out Australia and NZ for special criticism. He does not want to identify the big carbon emitters like India, China and the US, who are supposed to be his friends.
Indian’s PM Modi used the opportunity for his address to tell the world that Poverty and not Carbon Emissions is primary. Modi pointed out that countries such as China, India and Brazil are home to millions of people living in extreme ($1.25 a day) poverty—80 million, 280 million and 10 million respectively. It is not just about fulfilling the needs of the poor and upholding their dignity, nor about assuming moral responsibility for climate change (the Bainimarama and Anote Tong line), but realizing that the very goal of a sustainable future cannot be accomplished without addressing the problem of poverty.

The Fiji PM has obviously let himself to be heavily influenced by climate change alarmists like his previous Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Amena Yauvoli who has loaded Fiji taxpayers with supporting that useless and unscientific body, the Pacific Development Forum set up in the Domain, Suva. Bainimarama should realise that when mouthing off about climate change warnings he is more and more sounding like a junior photocopy of Kiribati President Anote Tong.
And as a politician he cannot resist using the climate change agenda as a hammer to batter his enemies like Australia and New Zealand. He calls on Australian PM Turnbull to do more for climate change. This should sent a shudder through Murray-Darling farmers in Victoria because Turnbull who as Environment Minister in 2007 passed the by now infamous Environmental Bill that resulted in the privatization of that irrigation scheme where the farmers and the environment are now impoverished while corporations who purchased the water rights are laughing all the way to the bank. Rice production from the Murray Darling has fallen drastically from the effects of salt build up and the drought and this will in turn lead to higher world prices for rice that in turn will harm Fiji’s balance of payments.
Bainimarama should copy Modi and speak about addressing the root causes of poverty in Fiji rather than wallow in the climate change debate that has even the scientists divided and there are always two sides to an argument whereas curing poverty is pure and simple.

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CLIMATE Debate: Don't blame Australia, where is Fiji's INDC, Opposition Shadow Minister for Environment Niko Nawaikula asks Bainimarama

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