Page 12 - IB January 2024

Diplomacy Diplomacy

engagement with the region is government to reduce fossil fuels subsidies, ban new coal, oil
dominated by these security and gas projects and transition away from fossil fuel exports.
agendas and framed by Indo- “I ask people to look at what we are actually doing,”
Pacific geopolitics, rather McDonald said. “I know people want us to go fast, but we
than broader development are going as fast as we can. I think there is genuine effort
priorities. to transition our economy at the moment; that’s why we’re
“We have an obligation as passing legislation and that’s why we are putting more money
the largest country in the into adaptation as well.”
region to ensure that we are McDonald notes that “at COP28, our team and our minister
playing our part in the security have been standing very strongly with the Pacific on phasing
of the region,” McDonald out fossil fuels. The language that we negotiated at the
argues. “People will talk about Pacific Islands Forum is the language that has ended up in
AUKUS, but for us it’s very the [COP28] communiqué. I’ve had a lot of discussions where
important for deterrence and Australia’s transition is explained; the legislation of our
Special envoy McDonald. diplomacy. We have a role in [emissions] targets, the clear effort we are putting into clean
Photo: Australian High Commission
in Fiji. being able to maintain peace technology, the funding we are putting behind that as well.
in the region and some of that I explain to people that we can’t transition economy like
requires us to play a role, not just on the diplomatic side, but Australia’s overnight.”
also through deterrence.” Despite this, time is short to keep 1.5 alive and it’s obvious
Forum Island Countries have sought to broaden the regional Australia’s shift away from fossil fuel emissions and exports is
security debate, to include more focus on the human security being slowed by mining and energy companies. Controversial
and environmental security, as well as state security and COP28, President Sultan al-Jaber, the Chair of the Abu Dhabi
transnational crime. The Boe Declaration, adopted at the National Oil Company (ADNOC), received extensive criticism
2018 Forum in Nauru, famously declared that climate change for hosting the global climate talks at the same time his
was “the greatest single threat to the livelihoods, well-being company plans to double oil exports by 2027. According to
and security of Pacific peoples.” the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Australia
Five years on, with massive resources allocated to AUKUS exports nearly three times as much fossil fuel as the United
nuclear submarines, the France-Australia strategic partnership Arab Emirates every year. Will the Albanese government face
and the Five Eyes intelligence network, has Canberra got the similar criticism for climate hypocrisy?
balance right when it comes to allocating resources towards McDonald stresses that Canberra is committed to working
these diverse security priorities? with Forum Island Countries to design the summit if Australia
“There’s no doubt that there’s differences of views on the wins its COP31 bid: “We would design this COP and have
issue of security,” McDonald acknowledges. “The geostrategic input into this COP in partnership with the Pacific. The value
challenge has increased significantly, but I think, in my of that is to bring people to the region, to see first-hand the
opinion, it’s unfair to say that we’ve lost track of the climate challenges facing people around climate change.”
aspect of the Boe Declaration.
“The issues that we’ve just announced, such as funding for International development
the Pacific Resilience Fund, show that Australia provided a As a former Deputy Director of the development agency
lot of seed funding for design that allows it to be capitalised AusAID, McDonald sees the aid program as a crucial part of
in the future. So now to put A$100 million into the PRF, to regional engagement: “In the past, I’ve had a big role in
capitalise it, is a game changer here in the region. Australia development and I know how important it is to what we do.”
was the key to that fund going forward. The thing about the Last August, the Albanese government launched a new
fund is that it is owned by Pacific countries, which has never International Development Policy, setting the long-term
happened before, and we are integral to its success.” direction for Official Development Assistance (ODA) with
pledges of new spending and “a commitment to long-term
Climate and the COP31 bid growth of the development program.”
Last month at the COP28 climate talks, Türkiye reiterated “The government’s new development policy is the first in
its bid to host COP31, competing with Australia to manage the nearly 10 years,” McDonald said. “It provides A$1.7 billion
Conference of the Parties in 2026. additional funding over the next five years, which is pretty
At recent summits, Forum Leaders have reaffirmed their important. It also brings in quite a rigorous evaluation
support for Australia’s bid. However, there are still significant framework and brings back a strong emphasis on poverty. It is
voices from Pacific civil society, churches and climate underpinned by two strong thematic principles, around gender
ministers who are raising concern about Australia’s climate and climate, which are central to the development and well-
policy. They want more urgent action from the Albanese being of Pacific countries.”

12 Islands Business, January 2024