Fiji places great importance on the issue of loss and damage for the sake of our people, our Pacific neighbors, and the billions of other climate vulnerable people throughout the world.

This was highlighted by the COP23 Chief Negotiator,  Ambassador Luke Daunivalu at the Suva Expert Dialogue on Loss and Damage in Bonn, Germany.

Daunivalu says Fiji was on the front line of climate threat and urged those present focus on how they, as a global community could respond effectively to extreme weather events, along with rising seas, changes to agriculture and other increasingly unavoidable impacts of climate change.

He says the Fijian Presidency places high importance on building on the achievements at COP23 relating to loss and damage which includes the Fiji Clearing House for Risk Transfer and the Insu-Resilience Global Partnership which aims to bring affordable insurance and other financial protection to millions of vulnerable people around the world.

Daunivalu says inclusivity is a critical component in global climate action program.

He says the Fijian Presidency has stressed from the very start the critical importance of inclusiveness in the global climate action program.

Daunivalu has also highlighted that the Talanoa Dialogue gave everyone a genuine voice in this climate process as it promoted the human right to participation.

He says the COP23 Fijian Presidency Team also places great priority in the Gender Action Plan as women are a critical and important part of the solution when it comes to climate change.