Regional Director for Oceania, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago, has urged participants of the Oceania Planetary Health Forum (OPHF) to involve youth in all decision-making processes.

The forum is being jointly hosted by Fiji National University’s (FNU) Fiji Institute of Pacific Health Research (FIPHR), the University of Sydney, Monash University, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Tago delivered the keynote address during the panel session “Nature-based Solutions for Planetary Health.”

The theme of the OPHF is: “Embracing Vanua as a Planetary Health Principle.”

“The voices of the youth need to be embedded at the outset of any project—starting from the design phase and through feasibility discussions. We must engage young people across the entire spectrum of policy development and problem-solving interventions, as this is the only way to ensure their involvement,” Tago said.

“There is nothing about young people without young people. I believe that governments, policymakers, researchers, and academics have come to appreciate the importance of ensuring that youth voices are heard, and their perspectives are integrated into everything we do.

“At the end of the day, it is the youth who will continue this work, and we will fail miserably as a community if we do not prepare them.”

Amena Banuve, Director of the Land Resources Planning and Development Division at the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, highlighted that some policies within the Ministry of Agriculture need to be updated, as they are outdated and must include nature-based solutions for planetary health.

FNU’s Strategic Plan for 2021-2026 promotes Climate Change Adaptation, Resilience, and Sustainability.

FNU recognises the adverse impacts of climate change both locally and globally. In support of Fiji’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, FNU, as a dual-sector university with a stronghold in TVET and higher education, is dedicated to contributing to the global target.

The event is currently underway at the Shangri-La Fijian Resort on Yanuca Island in Sigatoka and will conclude on Friday.