Climate Change

Pacific leaders make their point clear on climate change

A panel of Pacific Island leaders stressed this during a talanoa session on Climate Change and Migration Thursday.

“The question is, it’s not always about what we take to Paris as important, what is possibly more important what we will come away from Paris with. We really want to come away from Paris with some clear guarantees that something is going to be done that will ensure our future generations will have a chance of survival,” said  Kiribati President Anote Tong. 

Commonwealth to open climate financing

The Commonwealth Secretary General Kamlesh Sharma made the comments while delivering his keynote address at the Pacific Islands Development Forum in Suva.

“Initiatives such as the Commonwealth Climate Finance to be launched by the Malta Commonwealth heads of Government meeting this November ,will allow Countries and regions to bolster their practical ability to access funds for adaptation and mitigation needs,” said Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamlesh Sharma.

PIDF to sign Suva Declaration on climate change

He says he had hoped Australia would have done better in its target of reducing emissions by between 26 and 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

"I have a simple message today for the Australian Prime Minister: Mr Abbott, it is time to put the welfare and survival of your Pacific Island neighbours before the expansion of your existing coal industry and your continuing reliance on this dirtiest of energy sources. The other day, the President of Kiribati, His Excellency Anote Tong, described Australia's loyalty to coalmines as selfish and I couldn't agree more."

Climate Change to top PIDF agenda in Suva this week

The summit’s chief guest, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand, H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn, is arriving in Suva tonight and will join the UN Special Envoy on Climate Change and former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson along with other heads of state, governments and special envoys from across the globe.

UNDP launches storytelling contest to amplify climate coverage

As well as on the opportunities and solutions seen in actions by individuals and governments alike across vulnerable developing countries worldwide.

“We want to provide young journalists in developing countries a unique opportunity to contribute to the global debate on climate change in the run-up to COP21, while building their capacity and providing recognition for excellence” noted Neil Buhne, UNDP Geneva Director.

A concerted voice from small islands on climate change will be vital

Speaking at a public lecture in Fiji, ADB President Takehiko Nakao says the Pacific Islands are already among the most vulnerable in the world to disasters - as cyclone Pam in Vanuatu earlier this year reminded us.

He said natural disaster cost most Pacific island countries over 2% of Gross Domestic Product each year.  

Nakao said expert on International Panel on Climate Change has reported without policy chnage, we can expect a world that is  4 degrees warmer by the end of the century.

Greenpeace says ANZAC climate stance hurting Pacific

The small island nations are seeking a legally binding climate agreement from world leaders at the Paris COP 21 summit in December.

But Greenpeace's executive director, Kumi Naidoo, says the position taken by the Pacific countries is weakened without their most powerful neighbours on board.

Pacific island nations say climate talks failure not an option

The Pacific island nations say they have been forced to consider such nuclear options as buying land abroad to grow food and preparing their people to migrate as the seas slowly claim their homelands.

But as representatives of Pacific island nations met in Jaipur in the western Indian desert state of Rajasthan this week, the message was clear -- world leaders meeting in Paris in December must deliver on expectations of a historic deal to combat global warming.

Cooks' PM criticises NZ on climate change

The New Zealand government has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 30 percent below the level of 2005 by 2030.

The Australian government has a similar target, with plans to cut carbon emissions by at least 26 percent of 2005 levels by 2030.

When asked about New Zealand and Australia's emissions targets, Henry Puna said it's up to New Zealand and Australia to decide what is good for them.

He says the important thing is that they come together regularly to talk about those difficult issues.

COP21 needs to secure an agreement – USP academic

An academic at the University of the South Pacific (USP), Professor Elisabeth Holland, says the time to act is now and lobby for a legally binding commitment to fix global carbon emissions at the Paris COP21

“If Paris doesn’t work, if we don’t find a solution, is if France say diplomacy doesn’t work, if Fiji’s leadership doesn’t work, if the Republic of Marshall Islands leadership doesn’t work, we’re on the red line.”