Page 5 - IB November 2023

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

As a Pacific affairs publication, we’re consistently covering climate-related issues.
Naturally.

Having previewed the upcoming COP28 meeting last month, we dive into the
Managing Director / Publisher complexities surrounding climate finance. We describe just how difficult it is for
Netani Rika Pacific Island countries to access the multiplied millions of dollars that are supposedly
out there to help our communities with climate adaptation and resilience needs.
Editor
Richard Naidu
Faced with a myriad of hurdles, it’s sometimes too late by the time countries get to
General Manager the funds. As one of the experts we interviewed puts it, years have passed between
Samantha Magick the time a country gets accredited with one of the climate funds and acquires the
funding. In that time, an entire mangrove, a coastal ecosystem is gone - a major loss
for an island community dependent on those food and natural resources in more ways
than one.
The Pacific, as a complex ecosystem of overlapping political, aid and development,
and military alliances, suddenly finds itself thrust into an epoch of tremendous
metamorphosis.
Designer
Dick Lee
The speed at which that change is happening, is described as scary.
Contributors
We’ve just begun fine tuning a Blue Pacific/Blue Continent strategy for the region.
Nic Maclellan
Pacific Island leaders meeting in the Cook Islands this month will be signing off on an
Kite Pareti implementation plan.
Rowena Singh
Joe Yaya But there is a wider geopolitical framing, where, surrounded by renewed interest
from the major global powers, what used to be the Asia-Pacific is now being called
the ‘Indo-Pacific’, as part of a vast-overreaching alliance being led by the United
States to develop a hegemony against potential Chinese dominance in the greater
Pacific region.

With the southern axis of that alliance in the hands of the region’s biggest donor and
Islands Business is published monthly by US ally, Australia, that is seen as leading to a militarisation of the South Pacific via
Front Page Pte Limited the traditional Australia-New Zealand-United States-United Kingdom (ANZUS/AUKUS)
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That may have worrying ramifications for countries such as Fiji that, despite having
Emails just moved out into a more democratic space, still have firmly embedded military
Editorial: editor@islandsbusiness.com influences in their socio-political structure.
Subscriptions: subs@islandsbusiness.com
Advertising: marketing@islandsbusiness.com These major powers are also the biggest carbon emitters. So, Australia for example,
instead of walking its talk of “standing shoulder-to-shoulder” with the Pacific Islands
on the climate crisis, is actively opposing a regional push against fossil fuel production
Printing: while showing no signs of slowing down its fossil fuel industry.
Printhouse Pacific Pte Limited, Suva, Fiji Islands
We take a look at what some of the wider implications of these trends are for the
Pacific. Our coverage is by no means exhaustive. There will be more to look at in the
Cover image: Courtesy of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat February 2022 FJD $8 months ahead.
www.islandsbusiness.com
Speaking of which, weather-related complications loom on the horizon, with parts
of the Pacific being revisited by the El Niño phenomenon as we enter the cyclone
season. As we went to press, a drought had been declared for Tonga’s main island of
Tongatapu, as well as the nearby island of ‘Eua.
TONGAN RESILIENCE
BLINKEN VISIT • PANGUNA
A lot to keep us busy in the coming months!
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