Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has made a strong statement at the opening of the United Nations Oceans Conference in New York urging youths across the world to become an agent for change.
Bainimarama who is the incoming President of COP23 ‑ the ongoing UN climate negotiations ‑ as well as Co‑Chair of the discussions this week in New York says the quality of our oceans and seas is deteriorating at an alarming rate.
He says climate change and the state of our oceans cannot be separated.
Bainimarama says they are interlinked because rising sea levels, as well as ocean acidity and warmer waters have a direct effect on our reefs and fish stocks and the prosperity of our coastal communities.
Bainimarama says human kind is slowly killing precious resources in our seas.
Bainimarama then highlighted to World leaders that it pains him deeply to have witnessed the rapid deterioration of sea creatures during his own lifetime which is the economic lifeblood of the people in Fiji and the Pacific.
Meanwhile, the Secretary‑General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Patricia Scotland says Fiji has made a strong presence in New York and is proud that Fiji is leading the way.
