Climate Change

The vulnerability of the Pacific Islands to climate change has been the subject of significant round table dialogue and discussions based on reliable scientific information.

It is a global problem with wide-ranging impacts and in the South Pacific region, it is essential that the messages are communicated successfully with the various stakeholders to the local communities.

As the chair of the next COP21, France is fully mobilized to achieve an ambitious and legally binding agreement. And its diplomatic network is also mobilized for this.

The very existence of many of the island nations is threatened by the impact of climate change and they feel that their “big brother”, New Zealand, isn’t doing enough to help them.

Among the leaders speaking out, is the general secretary of the Christian Church of Tuvalu and founder of the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network, Rev Tafue Lusama.

His homeland, Tuvalu, is projected to be underwater in less than 50 years.

With many of the island nations that dot the Pacific Ocean east of Australia, threatened by rising sea levels, climate change and sustainable development is a common concern.

The 14 nations are: Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Nauru, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Niue, Palau, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Climate change will be a high priority subject at the talks with the 14 nations, Anil Wadhwa, secretary (East) in the ministry of external affairs said at a briefing here.

Jean-Pascal van Ypersele has been a vice-chair of the IPCC for seven years and is now running for the role of chair, to succeed Dr Rajendra Pachauri who stepped down in February.

Speaking in New Zealand during a flying visit, Mr van Ypersele said that developed countries have the power to reduce the rate of global warming, and expressed confidence that change can be achieved:

As part of their planning for the region’s premiere political meeting, to be held in Port Moresby next month, officials will consider a consolidated regional political statement on the global climate negotiations.

Members of the Pacific Islands Forum Officials Committee will consider the text of a statement that brings together the key demands of Pacific island governments in the global climate negotiations.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, made the comment ahead of a lecture that will be delivered in Fiji's capital today.

The second-highest cleric in the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Sentamu is on a visit Samoa, Tonga and Fiji to lead a series of Leadership Reflections on Climate Change at the invitation of the Rev Dr Winston Halapua, the Archbishop of Polynesia.

“Climate change affects everyone: agriculture, tourism, fisheries, water, health and wellbeing," Dr Sentamu said.

The council heard pleas from ministers and ambassadors from Pacific states such as Kiribati, Fiji, Samoa, Niue and the Marshall Islands, and Caribbean countries like St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The island states want financial and technical assistance, to help avoid being washed away in the rising tides and powerful storms caused by global warming.

The president of Kiribati, Anote Tong, says the plight of smaller islands for too long has been at the bottom of the list of priorities of the United Nations and other global organisations.

“Although we flagged that Kiribati is not ready for this change, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had to go ahead. The centre stopped providing these country specific warnings but they have continued providing tsunami information and guidelines on the propagation and expected risk level from each tsunami that could be generated from an earthquake when it actually reaches our shores,” said Toorua.

KMS is the designated national focal point for tsunami in Kiribati and operates a 24 hours a day, seven days a week, service.

Acting Director of Tuvalu Meteorological Service, Tauala Katea told the Third Pacific Meteorological Council meeting the new glossary will have the English weather forecasting terms translated into Tuvaluan.

“The glossary will greatly assist the work of journalists who will deliver the weather information to the people in the islands,” said Mr.Katea.

Journalists in Tuvalu have been struggling with the translation of weather and climate terms into the vernacular language.

“Yes we still receive information from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) in Hawaii. However, the decision to declare a warning for tsunami is now our own responsibility,” says Eden Skilling, a Meteorological Officer from FSM.

When a tsunami threat is received from the PTWC, the FSM Meteorological Service, the national focal point for tsunami, will analyse and evaluate the information before it is sent to the Disaster Co-ordinator Office.