24 Nov 2021

Australia's Pacific minister defends climate commitments

From , 6:01 am on 24 November 2021

Australia's Minister for the Pacific, Zed Seselja, was in Fiji last week where he defended the government's climate change policies.

This as Pacific countries are still fuming at the failure of world leaders to respond to the worsening climate crisis at COP26.

Even if all of the promises and pledges made in Glasgow are met expert analysis shows the world will still see catastrophic global warming of 2.4 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Among the worst culprits identified at the United Nations Climate Conference was Australia one of the closest and largest development partners of many Pacific Island countries .

The 2022 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) has ranked Australia's climate policies as the worst in the world - out of 64 polluting countries.

Our correspondent in Suva, Lice Movono spoke with Australia's Minister for the Pacific Zed Seselja during his visit to Fiji.

She started by asking the senator what Canberra's commitments to the fight against climate change are?

Young climate protesters march through the streets of Glasgow on Friday Nov 5, 2021 to demand action on climate change from leaders and politicians at COP26.

Photo: AFP