Toke Talagi, the Premier of Niue and chairman of the Smaller Island States :PHOTO:Vali Ole of Gavamani Sivarai (PNG Dept of Communication & Information)
By Robert Matau of Islands Business Magazine, Cairns Australia
Small Island States in the Pacific are seeking 45 per cent cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020.
The states of Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue and Palau, Marshall Islands and Tuvalu are small in landmass but huge in sea territory are seeking reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of global warming.
Climate observers and activists say that global warming is happening at a faster rate than earlier expected and needs to be addressed now to save these islands from disappearing.
Toke Talagi, the Premier of Niue and chairman of the Smaller Island States said his group is pushing for wealthy nations to spend more on helping countries adapt to climate change.
“In our discussions on climate change, we understand there will be indifferences in what we as Small Island countries believe on greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
Mr Talagi said island states have decided to take a strong stance on greenhouse gas emissions. He said their position is similar to that taken by the Association of Small Islands States – to ask developed nations to reduce their greenhouse emission by 45 percent by 2020 and 85 percent by 2050.
He said AOSIS nations understand the need for Australia and New Zealand to introduce adaptation measures to ensure their industries can adapt to keep them viable. “These are not easy things to do,” he said.
“Let me point out we are not only talking about adaptation measures for small island countries to mitigate against effects of climate change but we are also suggesting that developed countries should also have adapt and help them reduce their emissions.”
Greenpeace team leader, Seni Nabou said they had now seen the communique and would like to see it in any Cairns declaration on climate change.
“This shows that Smaller Island States are continuing to be a leader on this issue like we have seen at international arena because they care about their people,” she said “The SIS has been saying this for some time now and what we are here to bear witness to is whether they are being heard. “If we don’t see the same call reflected in the final communique then we will know that once again the call of vulnerable countries are being conveniently ignored.
“This is a challenge to Kevin Rudd as the host of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum and how he responds to continuous pleas by Pacific nations.”
Meanwhile Greenpeace Pacific activists have shut down Abbott Point coal export terminal in Queensland to demand Kevin Rudd stops risking the future of Pacific Islands by undermining real action on climate change and expanding Australia's coal industry.
The action was launched from aboard the Greenpeace vessel the Esperanza, which is currently stationed just metres from the coal export terminal on the eve of the Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns.
“As Pacific Island leaders call for the 40-45% emission cuts needed to save their `homes, Kevin Rudd presides over a massive coal industry expansion while posing as a climate hero,” said Fijian Greenpeace campaigner Lagi Toribau. “Australia’s Prime Minister needs to back Pacific calls for concrete action, not try to bully their leaders into submission.”
Prime Minister Rudd has made highly conditional promises to reduce domestic carbon emissions by 5 to 25% by 2020, yet this export coal expansion would cancel out even the most ambitious target six times over. For the 5% reduction, this rises to fifteen times the target.
Financed by more than $328 million of public money in 2009/10, the doubling in size of the coal terminal at Abbott Point alone will result in an extra 67.5 million tonnes of carbon pollution per year. This is equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of 2.4 million Australians
SOURCE: IB/PACNEWS
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