In co-hosting the Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Forum (IPESF 24), Fiji and the United States demonstrate their shared commitment to addressing sustainable development challenges.
This was shared by the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs and Immigration, Mason Smith while officially welcoming participants at the IPESF24 that is currently underway at the Inter-Continental Resort in Natadola Tuesday.
“It also shows our shared commitment to the broad understanding of security articulated in the Boe Declaration (2018) and demonstrates our shared commitment to collaborative and evidence-based solutions to shared environment security challenges,” Smith said.
“The growing and cascading effects of climate change will continue to impact Pacific national and regional security, in complex and sometimes unpredictable ways.”
Smith encouraged the subject matter experts present in the forum to learn from each other and work together to address challenges as a team.
Sharing her remarks at the opening of the Environmental Security Forum, the United States Ambassador to Fiji, Marie Damour shared that environmental security is an issue that not only affects the region but the entire global community.
“The Indo-Pacific region is not only a vital economic hub but also a region of immense environmental significance, boasting some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems and species. However, the region also faces some critical challenges. Pacific Island leaders repeatedly state that climate change is their number one security threat and rising sea levels demonstrate the credibility of that threat.”
“Environmental security is a priority for the United States and, in recent years, we have witnessed the devastating consequences of environmental degradation firsthand across the Indo-Pacific region.”
Damour stressed that the United States remains committed to advancing environmental sustainability and resilience in the Indo-Pacific region.
Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael while sharing his sentiments at the forum said that the IPSEF is a welcome opportunity to facilitate collaboration between Indo-Pacific countries.
“Protecting our natural resources, vital ecosystem services, and traditional livelihoods from the triple threat of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss is an imperative that shapes the Pacific’s world view and our shared vision for a safe and prosperous Blue Pacific continent.”
“Due to our tightly woven relationship with our environment here in the Pacific- sustainability has always been critical to our societies but to manage the increasing trans-boundary threats we face much more needs to be done to secure our future.”
He emphasised that the forum will be a platform to identify new course correction initiatives to institute robust sustainable development practices.
The annual IPESF is the cornerstone of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) Environmental Security Programme which is focused on engaging with regional militaries and civilian agencies to address priority threats to the environment as well as risks to essential services.
