THE Foreign Ministry will handle climate change awareness and issues.
Political and Treaties Division director Esala Nayasi said the move was part of a government strategy.
"There are two basic reasons why the decision had been made," he said.
"Firstly, it has to do with the current status of negotiations with the United Nations. Government felt that it is important for climate change to be in the mission of Foreign Affairs so that those discussions can be facilitated more effectively because it is Foreign Affairs that is being represented around the world through their missions and also at the United Nations."
Mr Nayasi said the mission in New York had been involved in all negotiations because most climate change negotiations were done in New York.
"So that is why Foreign Affairs is central at the moment in terms of negotiations," he said.
Secondly, Mr Nayasi said was the access to funding.
He said the Foreign Ministry was the conduit through which Fiji acquired international funding.