Fiji’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya, has issued a blunt warning that the country cannot claim to be climate resilient while pollution and poor waste management continue to damage the country’s rivers, reefs and ecosystems.
In her World Environment Day 2026 Ministerial statement, Tabuya said Fiji was at a critical crossroads as it joined the global community under the theme “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.”
“But let me be clear: we cannot claim to be inspired by nature while we are slowly strangling it with our own waste,” she said.
Tabuya said nature was not simply a backdrop for tourism or photographs but Fiji’s lifeline in the fight against climate change.
“The mangroves that block storm surges, the rivers that fill our kettles and tanoa with clean water, the reefs that feed our children, these are not ‘nice to haves.’ They are our first and last line of defence in the face of an escalating climate crisis. And right now, plastic, pollution, and poor waste management are harming our greatest allies from the inside out,” said Tabuya.
She said protecting nature and tackling waste were inseparable challenges for Fiji.
“We cannot talk about climate resilience while our rivers choke on discarded wrappers. We cannot promise a sustainable future while our marine ecosystems digest our negligence. Every piece of rubbish you drop on a roadside today will likely end up in an ocean that is already under major strain.”
Tabuya described waste as more than an environmental issue, calling it a public health, biodiversity and economic problem.
“The Ministry has finalised the National Integrated Waste Management and Pollution Control Strategy 2026-2035. This is our roadmap out of the landfill and into a circular economy. It recognises a simple truth: waste is not just an eyesore. It is a public health emergency, a biodiversity loss accelerator, and an economic failure.”
She announced the launch of Fiji’s first National Plastics Inventory and the expansion of the Trashboom programme, saying the initiatives would provide critical data to guide future action.
“We are also launching Fiji’s first National Plastics Inventory and strengthening our Trashboom initiatives. These are not just limited projects. They are intelligence-gathering missions. Because we know that we cannot manage what we do not measure.”
While acknowledging the value of river-based waste collection systems, Tabuya said they were not the solution to Fiji’s broader waste problem.
“Every bottle pulled from a river before it reaches the sea is a small victory. But let’s be honest—these booms are catching our excuses, not solving our problem. The real solution lies upstream: in our homes, shops, and habits.”
She said government was progressing Container Deposit Regulations and measures to make producers more accountable for plastic waste but stressed that policy alone would not solve the problem.
“We are advancing the Container Deposit Regulations (CDR), a system that will pay you back for doing the right thing. We are pushing producers to take responsibility for the plastic they force onto our islands. We are training businesses to stop seeing waste as garbage and start seeing it as a misplaced resource.”
Tabuya delivered a direct message to businesses, young people and households, urging immediate changes in behaviour.
“To businesses: Stop wrapping everything in single-use plastic and calling it ‘convenience.’ Your convenience is killing our reefs and is driving harm that will result in much more than inconvenience.”
“To our youth: You have the most to lose. Do not wait for global treaties. Lead local behaviour change, and yes, we must call out littering in our communities.”
“To every household: Separating your rubbish is not optional. Burning plastic in your backyard is poisoning your neighbours’ lungs. Throwing rubbish into the river is an act of environmental vandalism,” she said.
She warned that continuing with current practices would have serious consequences for future generations.
“We cannot go on with ‘business as usual.’ That phrase has become a euphemism for slow suicide.”
“When you choose to litter, you are not just making a mess. You are voting for flooded villages, poisoned fish, and a future where our children must be taught what a clean river used to look like,” said Tabuya.
Tabuya pledged stronger enforcement and greater international engagement, including Fiji’s participation in negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty.
“On this World Environment Day 2026, I assure you that this Ministry will enforce stricter regulations, empower our municipalities, and fight for Fiji on the global stage, including in the context of the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations.”
However, she said every Fijian must also take responsibility.
“But here is my demand in return: be inspired by nature, not just in your words, but in your actions.”
She urged people to reduce plastic use, dispose of waste responsibly and challenge behaviour that harms the environment.
“The Fiji we want to rediscover and preserve is the Fiji the world wants to visit and experience. A paradise of clean rivers, healthy reefs, thriving communities.”
Tabuya said Fiji’s environmental laws and policies were among the strongest in the Pacific, but success would depend on collective action and individual responsibility.
“Our nation recognises the right to a clean and healthy environment as a distinct human right that we must collectively seek to support and protect. Our environmental legislation and policy frameworks are some of the strongest in the region yet we must continue to rise to the challenge and be bold and laser-focused when it comes to delivering true and meaningful change,” said Tabuya.
