Less prayer, more presence
It’s not every day that a young Pacific islander tells regional church leaders to stop praying about climate change and take firm, practical measures which people can see. Fresh off the flight from COP27 in Egypt,
COP27
A tick for loss and damage
The disconnect between countries was palpable at the recent COP27 climate conference, as small island nations fought with developing countries to get their issues onto the agenda and into negotiations. Addressing the
Tuvalu’s Paeniu lauds recognition of loss and damage at COP27
Tuvalu’s Minister of Finance Seve Paeniu has praised the decision by the UN climate summit in Egypt, known as COP27, to formally recognise loss and damage from climate change. The move opens the way for more
COP27 closes with deal on loss and damage
After days of intense negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, countries at the latest UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, reached agreement on an outcome that established a funding mechanism to compensate vulnerable nations
Nauru laments failure from “those with real power”
Nauru, one of the Pacific countries at the forefront of the climate crisis, has lamented the failure of what they describe as “people with real power” to avert the climate crisis. Speaking during the resumed
U.S. urges Pacific islands to set example on methane emissions
U.S. climate envoy John Kerry urged Pacific island states last week to join global efforts to cut methane emissions in hopes it would sway major emitters China and India to follow suit. Speaking at the UN’s COP27
Oceans yet to make it to formal climate talks agenda
Fiji and other Pacific Small Island Developing Countries (PSIDS) continued their push to include oceans on the agenda of the global climate talks in Sharm El Sheikh this week despite very little movement on the issue in
Tuvalu to protect maritime boundaries despite rising seas
In another first for the world, the island nation of Tuvalu has embarked on a national contingency plan to preserve and protect its statehood and sovereignty, in the event it becomes uninhabitable by 2050. It’s not
Early gains for gender and climate change text at COP27
After a week of technical negotiations on the draft climate and gender text, the Pacific lead on gender and climate change, Eunice Dus is quietly optimistic of the gains made here in Sharm El Sheikh to push for language
COP27: Biden’s new initiatives, PNG signs carbon deal
America has reassured Pacific and world leaders who are fighting for a 1.5 to Stay Alive outcome at COP27 in Egypt, of its commitment and renewed leadership to avert “climate hell.” President, Joe Biden, highlighted
‘Action begins now before it’s too late’: President Maamau
Kiribati has called on the 27th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP) to be more ambitious about the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Speaking to world
COP27: Tuvalu leads call to phase out fossil fuels
Tuvalu has become the first country to use United Nations climate talks to demand an international fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, which would phase out the use of coal, oil, and gas. The small Pacific island
Pacific groups welcome call to ban deep sea mining
The Pacific Blue Line collective has welcomed the call by France for a ban on deep sea mining, a call that Pacific civil society groups and movements have been pushing for since 2012. French President Emmanuel Macron
Loss and damage on the climate agenda
The question of whether ‘loss and damage’ should lead to compensation and acceptance of liability is causing ruptures at the COP27 climate talks in Egypt. Loss and damage is the irreversible economic and
Call for pragmatism at COP27
The message was clear: if delegates to this week’s COP27 climate conference expect global greenhouse gas emitters to completely eliminate all uses of fossil fuel without support, it will be a difficult task. The
COP27: leaders urged not to ‘backslide’ on commitments
World leaders have been urged not to backslide on commitments to cut emissions and to deliver on pledges to help smaller countries deal with the impact of the climate crisis. The messages came from speakers during the
New UN climate report ‘a chronicle of chaos’: UN chief
The latest report from the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), released on Sunday, shows that the last eight years have been the warmest on record, fuelled by ever-rising greenhouse gas concentrations. The
Keeping the Paris promise alive: Henry Puna
The Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna says the pressure is on major emitters and all other G20 nations to ensure COP27 keeps the Paris promise alive. “More than any other COP since the 1.5 net zero
Pacific nations want compensation commitment at COP27, Samoa MP says
Samoa’s environment minister says Pacific island nations want the international climate talks in Egypt this month to establish a basis for compensating developing countries for losses caused by climate change. Pacific
Pacific Elders Group calls for action in Cairo
The Pacific Elders Group is calling for urgent action at upcoming climate talks in Egypt “to enable nations to implement the agreed goals and objectives of the Paris Agreement.” The group is calling for the
PIANGO: Prioritise progress on loss and damage
The Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (PIANGO) wants greater action on mitigation, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ahead of the COP27 climate conference. PIANGO says this requires the
More funding needed for climate adaptation: UNEP
Countries must urgently ramp up action to adapt to the current and future impacts of climate change, as efforts now are too little and too slow, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in its latest report, published
Be A Good Ancestor, Protect Our Legacy for Future Generations
In the Pacific, the moana (ocean) does not divide our islands, it unites us. For centuries, Indigenous peoples have recognised that the oceans are a creative force of nature and form the foundation of our blue planet.