Fiji progresses plans on climate change

Submitted by Narayan24 on Thu, 11/03/2010 - 9:58am

The Second National Communication (SNC) plan is a reporting document to the United Nations framework Convention to Climate Change (UNFCCC) says Minister for Local Government, Urban Development, Housing and Environment, Colonel Samuela Saumatua.

The Second National Communication Initiation workshop was attended by representatives from Government ministries, Non Government Organisations (NGOs), development partners and key stakeholders sharing information to produce Fiji's Second National Communication.

Fiji’s Initial National Communication was produced and submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat in 2005.

The Second National Communication for Fiji would be building up on the information given in the Initial National Communication (INC).

"We have began to experience the disastrous effects of Climate Change already, which is undermining Fiji’s development efforts and will continue to do so in the future. The extreme flood events of January 2009 has set the country back by FJD300 million which could have been used for education, health, and other critical development needs of the country," Col Saumatua said.

The Environment Minister said that the completion of SNC activities will be critical for achieving Goal 7 of the Millennium Development Goals.

It will also work towards improving climate monitoring, research and systematic observation.