NATIONAL and regional leaders were challenged to be more assertive in their efforts at home to fight climate change.
While speaking at the opening plenary of the Global Climate Action Summit, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama appealed directly to “the national and regional leaders in the room, and around the world.”
“We were elected to lead, not to pander, not to follow, and not to hold up a wet finger to the wind. So let’s lead,” Mr Bainimarama said.
He called on leaders to show courage and determination and to leave politics aside.
The audience were reminded of the importance of the talanoas that are being held around the world as a means of ramping up every country’s ambition to combat climate change.
“The Talanoas being held around the world are producing thousands of good ideas and a torrent of valuable information that can put us back on track,” he said.
Led by California Governor Jerry Brown and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, the Global Climate Action Summit has brought together leaders of government, business, Labour, finance, philanthropy, science, research and civil society to San Francisco, California, for three days of high-level talks on all aspects of climate change.
The conference is designed to share developments and perspectives in order to encourage a more robust global response to the climate-change crisis.
