UN General Assembly
2018

Speaking from the standpoint of an islander, I cannot dissociate the concept of lasting peace and prosperity from the perils of climate change. Climate change has become an existential threat not merely to the lives of people in island States but to the world as a whole. As islanders, we live that stark reality every day. We see its effects in our eroding coastlines and unpredictable weather patterns, on our coral reefs and rising sea levels. While I recognize the need for development as a driving force to lift our people out of poverty, we must remain aware of its consequences for our planet and our future. Through our neglect, we risk our children inheriting a planet that is beyond their capacity to repair. Should we not uphold the commitments we have made — from the Paris Climate Change Conference to the Conference of the twenty-third session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Bonn last year under Fiji’s presidency — we will reach an inescapable crisis.