Team Fiji has achieved a pivotal milestone at the Seventh United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) by gaining approval for its resolution titled “Accelerating Global Action to Promote the Climate Resilience of Coral Reefs.” This resolution stands as the first among 17 being discussed to secure backing from Member States, underscoring global acknowledgment of Fiji’s leadership in ocean and climate advocacy.
The path to this agreement involved intense negotiations, with delegates dedicating countless hours over the past week to build consensus. Fiji’s team, led by the Permanent Secretary for Environment and the Director of Environment, navigated complex scientific, environmental, and geopolitical issues, ultimately culminating in a unanimous agreement that was reached around 1 am during the final negotiation session.
As UNEA-7 progresses with two days remaining, discussions continue on the remaining resolutions. Fiji has expressed appreciation to all international partners for their constructive involvement and adaptability during the talks. This early success not only highlights Fiji’s significant role in multilateral environmental diplomacy but also reinforces its commitment to protecting the world’s coral reefs and the communities that depend on them.
In conjunction with its coral reef initiatives, Fiji is advocating for the establishment of a One Ocean Finance Facility, an effort aimed at enhancing ocean conservation. Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Mosese Bulitavu, emphasized the urgent requirement for a cohesive financial strategy to bolster ocean protection, particularly as the ocean economy currently receives less than one percent of global climate finance.
“A global finance system that fails the ocean fails Small Island Developing States,” Minister Bulitavu stated, underscoring the ocean’s critical role in climate stability, food security, and global prosperity. He has urged countries and partners to come together to support the One Ocean Finance Facility, designed to mobilize the necessary capital to assist communities and ecosystems that are most vulnerable.
The Minister outlined three primary goals for this initiative: to provide direct access for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coastal Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to finance the comprehensive lifecycle of ocean projects from marine spatial planning to blue-carbon protection, and to craft a clear global roadmap in preparation for the upcoming UN Ocean Conference (UNOC4), based on shared principles and measurable objectives.
Fiji’s achievements through its Blue Economy Framework were also emphasized, pointing out the necessity of addressing the significant financial gaps that exist globally. “We are not short of commitments. We are short of capital,” Minister Bulitavu remarked, highlighting the critical importance of the One Ocean Finance Facility as an essential step toward securing the financial resources necessary to support ocean initiatives at a scale commensurate with the ocean’s historical contributions to humanity.