Ambassador Koya calls for unified action ahead of COP30 at the EU – German Embassy climate dialogue in Abu Dhabi

Fiji’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), His Excellency Siddiq Faizal Riyad Koya, delivered a powerful address at the high-level event, “From Dubai to Belém: Building Momentum for an Ambitious COP30,” co-hosted by the European Union (EU) Delegation to the UAE and the German Embassy in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday 12.6.25.

The event brought together senior diplomats, climate experts, and international stakeholders, including H.E. Majid Al Suwaidi, CEO of Alterra; H.E. Lucie Berger, Head of the European Union Delegation; and Mr. Christoph Klarmann, Chargé d’Affaires of the Federal Republic of Germany, to build collective ambition in the lead-up to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025.

In his remarks, Ambassador Koya emphasized that COP30 will serve as the “final opportunity in this cycle of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to correct course” and preserve the 1.5°C target outlined in the Paris Agreement. He stated that “2024 was the warmest year on record, and unless emissions peak by 2025, we risk breaching the 1.5°C guardrail within five years,” with devastating consequences for vulnerable regions like the Pacific.

Reaffirming Fiji’s commitment to climate leadership, Ambassador Koya underscored the nation’s track record as the first to ratify the Paris Agreement and its legacy in presiding over COP23. He stated that “Fiji chooses the 1.5°C future. Fiji chooses multilateralism. Fiji chooses a just transition.”

Ambassador Koya called on major emitters to uphold transparency, accountability, and ambition. He noted that while COP28 marked progress, including the recognition of fossil fuel phase-down, “words must now be translated into action.”

He advocated for a strengthened climate finance system, calling the current model “donor-driven and divorced from reality,” and urged that future funding be “fit-for-purpose, predictable, and context-sensitive.” The Pacific, he reminded attendees, is facing climate-driven losses equivalent to 50–100% of GDP in some cases.
Ambassador Koya stated that Fiji welcomed Brazil’s initiative to establish a “Circle of Presidencies,” drawing on the experience of past COP hosts—including Fiji—to ensure a credible outcome at COP30. He outlined five key deliverables for the conference:

• NDCs aligned with the 1.5°C pathway
• A strong political signal for ambition and equity
• A binding framework to implement the Global Stock take
• Full operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund
• A new era of climate finance anchored in trust, scale, and access for vulnerable nations

In conclusion, Ambassador Koya called on all nations to approach COP30 with “purpose, conviction, and hope,” and invoked the spirit of “benevolence” as a guiding principle for the global climate response. The event is part of a broader series of diplomatic engagements in the Gulf region to rally multilateral commitment ahead of the pivotal COP30 negotiations in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025.