Goal 13: Climate action

There is no country that is not experiencing the drastic effects of climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions are more than 50 percent higher than in 1990. Global warming is causing long-lasting changes to our climate system, which threatens irreversible consequences if we do not act.

The annual average economic losses from climate-related disasters are in the hundreds of billions of dollars. This is not to mention the human impact of geo-physical disasters, which are 91 percent climate-related, and which between 1998 and 2017 killed 1.3 million people, and left 4.4 billion injured. The goal aims to mobilize US$100 billion annually by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries to both adapt to climate change and invest in low-carbon development.

Supporting vulnerable regions will directly contribute not only to Goal 13 but also to the other SDGs. These actions must also go hand in hand with efforts to integrate disaster risk measures, sustainable natural resource management, and human security into national development strategies. It is still possible, with strong political will, increased investment, and using existing technology, to limit the increase in global mean temperature to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, aiming at 1.5°C, but this requires urgent and ambitious collective action.

Goal Related News

Minister encourages villagers to be climate resilient

  The Fiji Government commended the Fiji National University (FNU) for advocating for climate change mitigation and adaptation practices. This statement was made by the Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Honourable Sakiasi Ditoka during his visit to FNU’s Climate-U Participant Action Research Project (PARG) research site at Nadaro Village, Vugalei, Tailevu...Read More

Fiji’s iconic flower Tagimoucia could be at risk due to global warming – Narayan

Fiji’s national flower, the Tagimoucia, may be endangered or extinct in the near future if the threats posed by global warming are not addressed. Fiji National University’s (FNU) College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST) Master’s student Shiloh Sylvia Narayan said the Tagimoucia, which is found almost exclusively in the tropical montane cloud forests of...Read More

FNU convenes international webinar on climate change issues

  The Fiji National University (FNU) co-chaired the International Webinar on Climate Change, Security and Sustainability of Ocean States this week that featured presentations and discussions regarding the environmental crisis. The virtual meeting was a collaboration between FNU’s Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies and Sustainable Development, the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at the University...Read More

FNU alumna Cema Talei encourages sustainability

Fiji National University (FNU) alumna Cema Olimaipa Talei is passionate about safeguarding and preserving our planet for future generations, hence she is encouraging more individuals to take a proactive role in advocating and combatting the impacts of climate change. Talei, a Bachelor of Civil Engineering graduate was part of the Yadrava na Vanua team that...Read More

Minister applauds FNU in the fight against Climate Change

    The Fiji National University (FNU) has been commended for its role in the fight against climate change by the Minister for Rural, Maritime Development, and Disaster Management, Honourable Inia Seruiratu following the visit to a project site at Vugalei in Tailevu. Minister Seruiratu visited the FNU’s Team Climate-U Participant Action Research Project (PARG)...Read More

FNU’s Senior Leadership Team members participate in the “Tree Planting Initiative”

  Fiji National University (FNU) recognises the immediacy of the climate emergency and the need for systemic change and has placed environmental sustainability as an all-encompassing theme of its Strategic Plan 2021–2026. Leading as examples in advocating sustainable development and creating greater awareness in the fight against climate change, the Fiji National University’s (FNU) Senior...Read More

FNU and Monash University launch climate change partnership

The Fiji National University (FNU) and Monash University launched a partnership formalising the establishment of the Monash-FNU Pacific Island Countries (PICs) Climate Change Research Centre (CCRC). The CCRC, which will be jointly based at the two institutions, is designed to support collaboration and provide exceptional research leading to policy advice on a range of climate change...Read More

Kumar pursues research studies at FNU

Priyaashna Kumar is focused on attaining her Masters qualification through the higher degree by research route at the Fiji National University’s (FNU) College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Kumar, who has a passion for sustainable agricultural development and safeguarding the environment has based her research on detection and prevention of viral infection of sweet potatoes....Read More

FNU promotes sustainability initiatives

  The Fiji National University (FNU) has implemented various sustainability schemes to achieve its Environmental Sustainability objectives as part of the University Strategic Plan 2021-2026. FNU Acting Vice-Chancellor, Dr William May said the University has implemented the three Rs concept – reduce, reuse and recycling, to address its waste management process on campus. “As the...Read More

FNU pens new partnership with Sugar Research Institute of Fiji

The Fiji National University (FNU) and the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF) have created a new opportunity for collaborative research in agriculture following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU allows both the University and the Institute to identify specific research projects students and or researchers can undertake and are based on...Read More

FNU marks Global Recycling Day

  Global Recycling Day (GRD) provides us with the opportunity to recognise the importance of recycling and preserving our resources to secure the future of our planet, says Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts and Local Government, Honourable Premila Kumar. Speaking at the Fiji National University-sponsored GRD event by Waste Recyclers (Fiji) Pte Limited in...Read More

FNU launches Sustainability Plan 2021-2026

    The Fiji National University (FNU) officially launched its Sustainability Plan 2021-2026 yesterday to highlight its commitment to environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation and resilience in its operations. FNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Toby Wilkinson said the five-year Sustainability Plan was also aligned to the University’s Strategic Plan of the same timeframe, which emphasises sustainability...Read More

FNU students undertake cleanup activity at Mount Korobaba

A group of Creative Arts students from the Fiji National University (FNU) recently partnered with the Youths for Integrity Fiji and Transparency Fiji in a cleanup exercise at Mount Korobaba, a popular hiking site outside Suva. The team from the College of Humanities and Education was led by Jerry Wong, acting Associate Dean TVET-CHE/Senior Lecturer...Read More

Upskill your environment and resource management skills with FNU

Although the current COVID-19 crisis is a major health issue across the globe, a key issue that has been affecting humankind for decades is climate change and the mismanagement of natural resources. Whilst contributing the most to this threat on our environment, people are also the solution to the problem through the application of appropriate...Read More

FNU undertakes key role at Climate Change Resilience meeting in Jamaica

To provide necessary and relevant solutions and mitigating responses to the prevailing and future devastating impact of climate change, critical efforts must be articulated in education programmes. These are the views of Fiji National University’s (FNU) Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Nii-K Plange, which he expressed at a recent Commonwealth Climate Resilience Network (CCRN) meeting held...Read More

FNU hosts Climate Change workshop

Fiji National University (FNU) as Fiji’s national university plays a pivotal role in providing policy guidance in climate change matters. These were the comments by FNU Executive Masters in Business Administrations (EMBA), programme Director, Dr Rohit Kishore during the workshop on “Blue Economy, Disaster Risk Financing and Ocean Infrastructure” organised by FNU in partnership with...Read More

FNU Embarks on Tree Planting Campaign

Two hundred new trees have been planted at Fiji National University’s (FNU), Lautoka Campus as part of an initiative to protect and care for the environment. The seedlings were donated by Ministry of Forests as part of its “Plant 4 Million Trees in Four Years initiative” following a pledge taken by staff and students last...Read More

FNU joins the fight to safeguard our environment

The Fiji National University (FNU) has appointed teams at all its campuses to conduct clean-up activities and create greater awareness as it marks Environment Week from 5 – 8 June, 2018. World Environment Day is a United Nations Environment-led global event, the single largest celebration of our environment each year. The theme for the event...Read More