PICAN submits climate declaration to Forum

Transcript

A coalition of civil societies is calling for a stronger voice from the Pacific Islands Forum in the struggle against climate change.

The Pacific Islands Climate Action Network, or PICAN, has submitted a 'Moresby Declaration' to the Forum Secretariat ahead of the leaders' meeting in September.

PICAN convenor Shirley Laban says the declaration is important ahead of the UN World Climate Summit in Paris.

She told Koro Vaka'uta the declaration calls for members to commit and promote five key causes.

SHIRLEY LABAN: We have got basically five main asks for leaders it is already things that countries within the region have already been calling for. The Key ask or we have put together strong asks for our leaders to be putting forward to the global climate talks. The first one is that the limited global warming is maintained at 1.5 degrees celsius. The second one is for adaptation in the new global agreement we must include new and additional funding to help Pacific Island countries to adapt to climate change. The third one is around loss and damage. There has been the Warsaw mechanism where the call for action is to operationalise this mechanism. The fourth one is around continuous retraction of emissions and the fifth one is around support for resettlement and the new agreement must take into serious considerations strategies to protect the rights and dignity of pacific communities that may need to be displaced due to effects of climate change.

KORO VAKAUTA: This declaration obviously calls for unity as you mentioned and one voice. Is that something that has been lacking in the past from Pacific leaders?

SL: It is something that has already been happening but this is for more stronger voice. We are calling for a united voice because negotiations in Paris at the end of this year is very critical in terms of the new agreement it is important that while we are already having some collective voices must throw together more stronger voices because for us in the Pacific region its a means of survival for us.

KV: Are you confident that all the forum members will get behind this? Is there have you had any initial response and are you confident they will?

SL: We hope for all the forum members to support the recommendations and the declarations that we are putting forward. Most of the key asks in the declaration is not controversial issues these are already strong points that a lot of the reg, Pacific Island countries have already been advocating for or negotiating for in previous COPs and previous climate negotiation processes.