The death toll from floods and landslides across Nepal, which has claimed more than 150 lives and counting, is a reminder of the devastation extreme climate events can have on communities. The devastation was felt at the Baravi Ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Fiji Monday, where Pacific Climate Change Ministers and officials gathered to discuss the Pacific’s priorities as the clock ticks towards the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). To be held from 11-22 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan, COP29 is a critical step in global efforts to find solutions to climate change, which continues to wreak havoc on the planet, with Pacific communities placed at the forefront of its devastating impacts.
Reverend James Shri Bhagwan, General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches(PCC), reminded Ministers and Officials that the impacts of climate change respects no sovereignty, and the loss of lives in Nepal is a reminder of the struggles our Pacific communities have had to deal with as climate change impacts worsen. “I am sure you are all aware of the current situation in Nepal. Even those of the land with the highest mountains are not spared as the cryospheres of the Himalayas melt,” he said.
“Yet we are called and challenged to act in hope – to hope is an act of faith, of vision, of determination and trust that our current situation will not remain the status quo.” John Salong, Vanuatu’s Minister of Climate Change Ada.