Kiribati worried by Aust climate change rollback

In the Pacific the president of Kiribati, Anote Tong, has said the conservative new Australian Liberal-National government’s apparent backing away from the issue of climate change concerns him.

Australia’s Liberal-National coalition has scrapped the Climate Commission, begun work repealing the carbon price legislation, and has given indications it is prepared to listen to those who question climate change science.

President Tong has told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat program the Australian government’s approach to climate change appeared to be a reversal of the previous administration’s position.

“We are watching to see what the declared policy of the new Australian administration is, how it translates down, because there’s no question about it,” he said.

“Australia is not immediately under threat with climate change, but we the low-lying countries are and so we have no choice but to take seriously the scientific projections.”

Pacific leaders, including President Tong, used last week’s United Nations General Assembly to call on the developed world to give climate change the prominence they feel it deserves.

The United Nations Secretary General praised the Pacific nations for leading the fight against climate change.

Ban Ki-moon made the comment after talks with Pacific leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

The Secretary General was presented with a copy of the Majuro Declaration, a climate change manifesto released by Pacific Islands Forum leaders following their meeting in Marshall Islands earlier last month.

“Pacific Islands are among those that contribute least to global warming, yet suffer most. I congratulate you on the adoption of the Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership.

“I commend your resolve to be ‘Climate Leaders’ and I join you in your call to others to lead through action,” Mr Ban said.

The Declaration also received United States-backing, a move hailed by Marshall Islands President, Christopher Loeak.

“US support for the Majuro Declaration could not be more welcome, and it is likely to spur action from others,” Mr Loeak wrote in an article published in the New York Times.

The State of Hawai’i also became the first sub-national government to support the Declaration.

“The State of Hawai’i stands with island nations around the world in recognising the urgent threat of climate change. We have signed onto the Majuro Declaration to share our ambitious commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through innovative energy transformation,” Hawai’i Governor Neil Abercrombie said.