Venue: Kulukulu Public School
School Trustees & Board Members;
School Manager;
School Head Teacher;
Invited Guests;
Students of Kulukulu Public School;
Bula vinaka, Cola Vina and a very good morning to you all.
It is indeed a pleasure to be here today to officiate at your National Climate Change Week celebrations.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,
The National Climate Change Week, was launched last Friday, with the overall theme of “Accelerating Climate Action for a Resilient Fiji”. The activities over the week has included, mangrove planting, cleanup campaigns and competitions to create awareness on carbon emissions.
The Climate Week is designed to raise awareness on the effects of climate change, inform and educate Fijians on Fiji’s COP 23 Presidency. It is important because the Week provides an opportunity for us to learn more about the effects of climate change. The Week is also important because it does not only aims to inform and educate, but to also encourage all Fijians to participate in raising awareness on the effects of climate change and decide what we, as Fijians need to do to stop these detrimental effects.
Each day of the week has a specific theme and today’s theme is “Agriculture, Food Security and Fisheries”. I am here in Kulukulu, which is not only an agricultural community but is also known as having Viti Levu’s premier surfing spot and the country’s only beach break.
Therefore, food security and the protection of the marine resources is crucial for the wellbeing of the people of Kulukulu. Hence, it is also your responsibility to be agents of climate action to ensure that our future generations are able to enjoy the same environment as we are enjoying today.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,
We don’t need to look far, to see what climate change is doing to our country. Villages, such as Denimanu, Tukaraki and Vunidogoloa are being inundated with rising sea level and those living in these villages, had to be relocated to a new place altogether.
Furthermore, villages in Tailevu, the Rewa Delta and coastal parts of Sigatoka are affected by salt water intrusion and river bank erosion which is a big threat to people who are farming. Therefore, as a community we need to come up with strategies to ensure sustainable water resource management. .
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls
Climate change, which is the variation in normal weather patterns is caused by pollution. The issue of environmental pollution and climate change has become an international concern due to their unfavorable affects to the physical and biological entities of the environment.
I, therefore, would like to remind the students of Kulukulu Public School that the ocean or the land are not places where you throw your rubbish and garbage. If you look after our oceans and our land, it will look after you.
You are the agents of change – you are the future – make a difference now to protect your own future. That’s the message. Tell your parents, your neighbours, your friends not to litter and remember to protect the environment. We need to preserve our planet. It’s the only one we have got.
Furthermore, we need all the children to support our Honorable Prime Minister by showing that we can make a difference. We may be a small country, but we can make a big difference.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls
The Fijian Prime Minister is leading the global charge to combat climate change by taking up the Presidency of COP 23. And this is the first time ever in the history of Fiji, the Pacific or any small developing state. We have been given such a monumental task.
It is an honor and a privilege for all Fijians and we should support this course with pride and determination. We must get behind our Prime Minister and ensure we tell the world that we are doing our part, despite being the smallest contributors to global warming . And yes, we would not wish to see that day when you are not able to breathe fresh air or drink clean water, things we take for granted in Fiji.
Thus, I urge you all to work together in protecting our environment and learn our lessons from previous climate events, to help us build resilience and promote a culture of caring and protection what surrounds us – our environment, our beautiful country and the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls
With those few words, I wish you all an enjoyable day and keep our environment clean.
Vinaka Vakalevu. Thank You.