Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad said Fiji and the Pacific supports the proposal for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to complement the Paris Agreement and to help us all secure the vital 1.5°C limit.

He shared this at a press conference at COP29 in Baku , Azerbaijan. 

“The idea of the Fossil Fuel Treaty is gaining momentum amongst governments, businesses, civil society and we look forward to carrying it forward with significant advances in 2025,” he said. 

“The Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, as we see it, is a tool to address climate injustice and drive the shift needed to achieve necessary transition to clean energy, while equitably managing the phase out of harmful fossil fuels globally.”

The Deputy Prime Minister added that Fiji will continue to advocate for a fair, fast, and financed transition from fossil fuels as a key element of our fight for climate justice.

“We will advocate in every forum we can. That requires a robust, resourced, and substantial finance goal here in Baku that has provisions to support all countries to exit fossil fuels.”

A Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is a legally binding mechanism and would foster and scale up global collaboration to end fossil fuel extraction, wind down existing production, and manage a just transition to renewable energy for all. 

At COP29, the growing bloc of progressive nations and allies who endorse the proposal for a Fossil Fuel Treaty convene and rally political will to build support for this bold initiative. 

The Head of Fiji’s Delegation said the time has come to respond with greater urgency, greater focus and greater solidarity and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is a key part of that response.

Note : This story was produced as part of the 2024 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.