RC Remarks at the UN Secretary General’s Special Address on climate action, “A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the New Energy Era. ”

I am both honored and privileged to welcome you all to what is a critical turning point in the transition to renewable energy. With the preparation for COP 30 underway, it is more critical than ever that we show up to the table with a strong case on renewable energy. 

In today’s address, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, will emphasize the need for more investments in renewable energy, but this is something we already know. 

Countries that cling to fossil fuels are not protecting their economies; they are sabotaging them – undermining competitiveness, and missing the greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century. 

Climate action, such as investment in renewable energy, not only turns on the light for the first time in many rural communities, but it also creates more opportunities. 

As we will hear shortly from our colleagues, the Pacific is already harnessing and reaping the rewards of renewable energy, particularly in times of disasters. 

Fiji leaped renewable energy in 2022, with support from UNESCAP, the Fiji Government developed a comprehensive roadmap that puts the country on the path to clean and renewable energy. 

The roadmap presents a cost-effective pathway for Fiji to transition to a low-carbon energy future. A key recommendation is to diversify the country’s power generation mix by increasing reliance on indigenous renewable sources such as solar and hydropower while minimizing dependence on imported fossil fuels. Notably, the levelized cost of electricity from renewables is now becoming more competitive than that of conventional fossil fuel technologies.

That is just one example of the support the UN has been providing; my colleagues who are leading these efforts will be sharing them in more detail. 

Before I give the floor to my colleagues, I wish to congratulate the Pacific countries that are already leading various transition initiatives. 

I call upon partners to step in and support these countries in realizing their renewable energy ambitions. I also call upon governments around the world and friends of the region to step up and fully commit to the clean energy future.  In the coming months, every country has pledged to submit new national climate plans – known as Nationally Determined Contributions – with targets for the next decade. These plans must align with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, cover all emissions and sectors, and lay out a clear path to clean energy. G20 countries, responsible for around 80% of global emissions, must lead.

Vinaka Vakalevu, Dhanyavaad, Tangkyu Tumas, Thank You 

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