Climate change 'challenges' in the Pacific region

A Fiji Islands Republican official said climate change is one of the biggest barriers to the sustainable development of small Pacific island nations.

Esala Nayasi, Director of the Fiji Department of Foreign Affairs's political and international treaties, said the adverse effects of climate change are a security threat to Pacific island nations (PIC ) because it greatly affects people's survival through the impact on resources.

Big waves when the storm Evan hit Suva, Fiji on December 17, 2012.(Source: AFP / VNA)

Speaking at the "First Open Discussion Workshop on Climate Engineering: The Perspective of the Small Pacific Islands" held at Suva on August 21, Nayasi stressed the need to conduct research, scientific studies, data and even climate engineering in addressing climate impacts on countries.

According to Nayasi, the Republic of Fiji has long recognized that the country itself cannot achieve change, so it needs collective strength to convince the community to be responsible for actions that cause climate change.

The workshop is a joint effort of the Institute for Advanced Sustainable Development and Central Pacific University for Environment and Sustainable Development. Here experts from both organizations share their findings with participating partners.

Through this meeting, representatives from 12 PIC countries reviewed development, research and climate engineering data as a way to cope with and tackle climate change issues.

Terminology-climate techniques have existed since 1990, referring to large-scale and active interventions to the Earth climate system aimed at reducing global warming.