29 Oct 2015

Claim Fiji's PM grandstanding on climate change

3:27 pm on 29 October 2015

The Fiji opposition says the country's prime minister should stop blaming Australia for its emissions and focus on what Fiji is doing over climate change.

Frank Bainimarama

Frank Bainimarama Photo: Republika

The spokesman for the environment, Niko Nawaikula, says Fiji has not fulfilled its own obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Frank Bainimarama this week reiterated his criticism of industrialised countries, especially Australia, saying he is not detecting any will to combat the problem.

But Mr Nawaikula calls this cheap opportunistic politics when Mr Bainimarama should be submitting Fiji's Intentional Nationally Determined Contribution to the UNFCCC.

Mr Nawaikula says even a smaller Pacific state such as the Marshall Islands has submitted its INDC and he asks why Fiji hasn't.

He says it is no secret industrialised countries have high emissions, but the truest measure of Fiji's sincerity on climate change is what is happening within the country.