Pacific nations call on US, China to do more on climate change
- Pacific nations are feeling some of the severest effects of climate change as rising seas inundate lower-lying areas
- Washington has pledged more financial and diplomatic engagement while China tried to pursue a trade, security agreement with some Pacific nations
Leaders at a four-day summit of the Pacific Islands Forum, meeting in Fiji’s capital Suva, bristled at a Chinese attempt to split some of the nations off into a trade and security agreement, while Washington pledged more financial and diplomatic engagement.
The exclusive economic zones of the 17 forum members span 30 million square kilometres of ocean – providing half the world’s tuna, the most-eaten fish. The nations are also feeling some of the severest effects of climate change as rising seas inundate lower-lying areas.
At the summit that ended on Thursday, leaders adopted language several members have used in declaring a climate emergency, saying this was supported not only by science but by people’s daily lives in the Pacific.
A communique, yet to be released, shows the nations focused on the next United Nations climate conference, COP27. They will push for a doubling of climate finance to flow from big emitters to developing nations within two years, money they say is needed to adapt to rising sea levels and worsening storms.
