By Sanjeshni Kumar, Pacnews
Climate Change has clearly deepened its impact on agriculture and livelihoods for many farmers in Fiji, a young Fijian testified during a youth dialogue on Climate-induced Loss and Damage in Apia, Samoa.
“I am a farmer’s son,” said youth advocate, Mikaele Finau from Fiji Islands, “and I saw how agriculture has really supported our livelihood over the years.
If climate change continues to affect agriculture, and the many families who rely on it for their survival, it would be devastating. That is what motivated me to be involved in the climate space.”
Finau is among Pacific youth advocates calling for urgent attention to the issue of loss and damage, the irreversible impacts of climate change that cannot be avoided or repaired, warning that the climate crisis is already threatening livelihoods, culture, and identity across the region.
“Loss and damage is a very important topic that youths need to be talking about today, especially when the climate crisis is at its peak and is expected to increase in the years to come,” he said.
“Climate change is a crisis that does not discriminate. It affects everyone, regardless of your culture, your race, your gender, or your age. The impacts are unbearable and irreversible and it is something that really needs urgent attention.”
Finau stressed that not all losses from climate change can be measured in money.
“There are some impacts of climate change that you really cannot put a monetary value to,” he said.
“Climate change really puts our culture and our identity at risk. Losing our culture and our traditional practices also means losing our identity.”
The regional youth dialogue brought together young leaders from across the Pacific to share experiences and solutions.
For Finau, hearing these testimonies and lived experiences were a source of strength.
“As a youth advocate from Fiji, coming here to hear the stories of other youths from the Pacific, how they have been addressing loss and damage, the experiences they’ve had, has empowered me not to back down. I am not alone in this battle,” he said.
Finau emphasised that his advocacy is not just personal but represents the voices of many young people and communities on the frontlines of climate change in Fiji.
“Being here today is not just about me,” he said.
“It’s about the many youths in Fiji, the communities that are at the front line of the climate crisis. Being here with other youths from the Pacific, I am reverenced by the fact that I am not alone, and I’m here with my other fellow brothers and sisters from the Pacific.”
The inaugural Pacific Youth Dialogue on Loss and Damage, guided by the theme “Navigating our Future” is held from 7- 8 August, Taumeasina Resort, Samoa. This precedes the Pacific Regional Loss and Damage Dialogue 2025 to be held from 11-12 August at the same venue in Samoa.
The inaugural Pacific Youth Dialogue on Loss and Damage and the Pacific Regional Loss and Damage Dialogue 2025 are made possible with funding support from the Loss and Damage Capability and Capacity (LDCC) Project with the Government of New Zealand.
Hosted by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the dialogues bring together Pacific governments, youths, civil society, academia, NGOs, and the private sector to collectively advance the region’s priorities on Loss and damage.
This story was produced by the Pacific Media Team covering the meetings. Their attendance is made possible with funding support from the Loss and Damage Capability and Capacity (LDCC) Project with the Government of New Zealand.
For more information, please contact SPREP Climate Change Adaptation Adviser, Ms Filomena Nelson [email protected], SPREP Climate Change Loss and Damage Officer, Ms Jessica Rodham [email protected] or Media and Public Relations Officer, Mr Keni Lesa [email protected]