Tuvalu distressed by US withdrawal from Paris Agreement

Transcript

ENELE SOPOAGA: We are very very distressed and I think this is a very destructive, obstructive statement from a leader of perhaps the biggest polluter on earth and we are very disappointed as a small island country already suffering the effects of climate change. For such a statement to be forthcoming from somebody who has polluted the environment of the planet to be so inconsiderate and disgraceful to come up with such a very destructive statement. We are very, very disappointed however we are hopeful that maybe this is also a call for the world to work more closely and do better, do more, We can move onwards, forwards and do what is right to be done in order to save the islands and save the planet.

SALLY ROUND: Are you encouraged by statements by other world leaders?

ES: Very very encourage by the statement by New Zealand. We echo reconfirming the commitment of New Zealand to push on to work with the rest of the world to fulfill and implement the Paris agreement provisions and also I am hearing also positive support and response from other leaders of the world so yes indeed I am.

SR: What impact is this going to have - the loss of American money from the Green Climate Fund?

ES: Well it's unfortunate, most unfortunate but I think there will be no greater impacts. It will only go to soldify the commitment of other world leaders to even put more and try to achieve what is right to be done. Because the other alternative would only be devastation and damaging ... really catastrophic for the rest of the world not only small islands like Tuvalu. I think the world community will rise up to the challenge and of course they have done so under the Paris Agreement with the United States but now of course this country has  decided to pull out. That's their own decision. I don't want to dwell on commenting on that. I want to again encourage world leaders to look at this as an opportunity for multilateralism to work, we must prove that the idea of working together under multilateralism under the Paris accord is the right way to go and we must not be dissuaded by this very very backward and backsliding, destructive decision from the United States of America. It should not only be confined to climate change, it should also be reflected in other world policies of multilateralism, to prove that the world can move forward, without a country that looks inwards and coming up with an isolationist approach at a time the world needs to work together this is most discouraging. I have instructed my officials not to talk any climate change issues with this country until a new policy is put in place.

SR: So you're not just talking not just climate change ... will you talk to the US about anything?

ES: I think it doesn't make any sense to talk about any other thing if we don't fix the problem of climate change whether they are in or not and I think it doesn't make any difference to really pursue any other line.