SUVA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Top executives in Fiji on Friday called for more efforts to tackle climate change.
The business leaders taking part in a two-day workshop organized by Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) said there was a need to get behind the Fijian government's efforts on climate change.
This is in line with Fiji's focus on climate change and with Fiji's important presidency role at the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP23) in Bonn, Germany in November, they said.
FCEF President Himen Chandra said for businesses in Fiji, the adverse effects of climate change were becoming real and there was a need to explore mitigation and adaptation strategies in order to remain viable.
Chandra said climate change had been an issue of concern and the challenges of climate change were dawning on the private sectors with a much greater impact.
He said the private sector would now rather than later have to rise to the challenges of ensuring a brighter future for Fijians.
"It is a recognized fact that the changing climatic conditions and weather patterns that have brought devastating floods, cyclones and rising sea level are causing and will further cause serious negative impacts to our economy and our environment one way or another, the challenge lies before us to ensure the growth of a nation both economically and to remain environmentally sustainable," he said on Friday.
