Pacific leaders focus on climate change in the UN
Updated
Climate change has featured prominently in the presentations of Pacific Leaders to the United Nations over the past few days. Tonight the second session of the U-N General Assembly starts in New York. But already a number of Pacific leaders have taken part in the general debate. And while issues such as security, and calls of support for aid donor nations, have been part of the addresses by the region's leaders so far . . . their concerns about the effect of climate change, and a call on the developed world to treat the upcoming Copenhagen Climate Change talks in December seriously, have featured significantly.
Presenter: Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney
Speakers: President of Marshall Islands Litokwa Tomeing; Prime Minister of Vanuatu Edward Natapei; Deputy Prime Minister of Solomon Islands Fred Fono; Tonga's Prime Minister Doctor Fred Sevele; President Marcus Stephen of Nauru; President Johnson Toribiong of Palau; Fiji's interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama; Emmanuel Mori, the President of the Federated States of Micronesia; Kiribati President, Anote Tong
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COONEY: So far nine Pacific leaders and representatives have made their address to this year's United Nations General Assembly.
President of the Marshall Islands, Litokwa Tomeing, was first.
TOMEING: Not a single nation can escape from the powerful grip of the challenges of climate change, the deadly virus is here already.
COONEY: The eight who have followed President Tomeing so far are staying with the themes and concerns he's raised.
The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Edward Natapei, told the General Assembly the UN must use its power to force some change.
NATAPEI: No better word could be accorded to this particular phenomena of global crisis than the word doomed unless all the relevant organs of the United Nations intensify their efforts in considering and addressing this issue for climate change.
COONEY: The Deputy Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Fred Fono.
FONO: Science tells us that the future of low lying islands is uncertain unless deep and ambitious cuts on harmful greenhouse gas emissions is undertaken.
COONEY: Tonga's Prime Minister, Doctor Fred Sevele, told the General Assembly while leaders can make promises, when it comes to climate change, that alone is not enough.
SEVELE: They must be matched by action. Our determination and our understanding of the truth of climate change must be moved by the honest action to mitigate and change the wasteful energy habits of a lifetime.
COONEY: President Marcus Stephen of Nauru, called on leaders in the developed world to use the Copenhagen meeting to help countries like his.
STEPHEN: The international community must next take swift steps to mitigate climate change.
COONEY: President Johnson Toribiong of Palau threw his support by statements of concerns made by world leaders last week at a series of UN sponsored meetings.
TORIBIONG: We applaud the commitments made and note that we must use our best efforts to stop this slow moving tsunami.
COONEY: And while Fiji's coup leader and interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, used most of his 19 minute long address to call for understanding about why he cannot allow a return to democratic rule, climate change also garnered a mention.
BAINIMARAMA: Fiji is one of the more vulnerable states through the impacts of climate change calls on all states, in particular the major emitters to be responsible.
COONEY: Emmanuel Mori, is the President of the Federated States of Micronesia.
MORI: Micronesia is already experiencing the brunt of negative impacts of climate change. Sea level rise, changing weather patterns and an increase in the frequency and the intensity of natural disaster, such as typhoons are all undermining our development efforts and in those years have brought increased drought and increased rainfall, causing substantial damages to stable crops.
COONEY: Over the past few years, the President of Kiribatis, Anote Tong, has spoken widely and often about what rising sea levels are doing to the many low lying coral atolls which make up his nation. Those concerns features significantly in his passionate plea to the UN last Friday.
TONG: And I fear that our children and grandchildren will look back and ask us the question. How is it that they knew what they knew, yet they did so little? Let us not waste any more time on diplomatic talk, language, drafting and amendments, posturing and empty platatives. We know what needs to be done. This might be our last chance. If we don't act now, who the hell is going to do it?
