Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says the fact that Fiji is currently battling Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa, one of a dozen storms in eight years, should be an indication that something is not right.
 
“On this same day in 2012, Fiji was enduring Cyclone Evan,” the PM said on his Facebook page.
 
“Since then, we’ve been battered by 12 more cyclones — two of which (Winston and Yasa) are now jockeying for our hemisphere’s strongest-ever storm in history.
 
“This is not normal.
 
“This is a climate emergency.”
 
On Friday, in his statement at the Kainaki II to Cop 26 Virtual Pacific Islands Forum High –Level Roundtable on Urgent Climate Change Action, Bainimarama urged high-emitting countries to take greater action on climate change.
 
“Some people compare the Pacific’s story to that of the canary in the coal mine. In that analogy, the canary is lowered into the mine to check for dangerous gas levels – if the canary came out dead, the rest of the miners knew not to enter.
 
“I refuse to let Fijians and our Pacific Island sisters and brothers be some sacrificial canary for coal-burning countries and high-emitting companies, said PM Bainimarama.

SOURCE: FIJI TIMES/PACNEWS

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