Kiribati President unsure on Forum Stance on Climate Change Featured
Locals in Tebikenikora, a village in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the area in 2011 to discuss villagers’ concerns about the effects of climate change on their low-lying land. (Photo: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)
9 September, 2015. The President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, says the Pacific Islands Forum could split over the climate change issue. He says this may be necessary to reach a uniform position on climate change.
Most of the island countries are advocating lower limits on temperature growth from green house gases than New Zealand and Australia.
Islands Business says the Kiribati President has told the media in Port Moresby where the Forum is holding its annual summit that either Australia would have to leave the Forum, or others, such as Kiribati, would go.
On Monday, the small island states in the Pacific called for carbon emission targets no higher than 1.5 degrees while Australia and New Zealand are advocating a two degree limit.
Fiji's leader Frank Bainimarama is not attending this week's meeting in protest at the presence there of New Zealand and Australia.
New Zealand is "doing the right thing"
The New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, says he is comfortable with his country's work on climate change despite mounting pressure for Pacific Island Forum leaders to do more.
"You can understand absolutely why countries that are very low-lying would have concerns about anticipated rises in sea-levels. And of course they would do everything they can to advocate for that.
"But New Zealand doesn't look to try and close them down or run away from the targets we've set and the actions that we've taken. I actually genuinely believe that we are doing the right thing."
Meanwhile, the Australian government has said it cannot do more to cut greenhouse gas emissions because it would be too costly. The country's climate ambassador, Peter Woolcott, said its goal of reducing its emissions by between 26 and 28 percent below 2005 levels in 15 years was "an ambitious target".
The Forum will run for the rest of the week.
Source: Radio New Zealand
