Australia appears ready to sign a joint statement from Pacific Islands Forum leaders expected to declare a “climate emergency” and call for rapid and profound reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming.
Key points:
- The PIF statement repeatedly calls for accelerated and drastic action to reduce emissions
- Anthony Albanese says Pacific leaders praised new Australian government’s climate commitments
- Leaders reaffirmed “the importance of using existing regional mechanisms” when interacting with other countries, in an apparent reference to China’s recent push into the Pacific.
The statement, endorsed by all Pacific leaders after their meeting in Suva, has not yet been released, but it is also ready to support Vanuatu’s push for a United Nations request to to the International Court of Justice to issue an advisory opinion on the law. consequences of climate change.
He praised the Albanian government’s decision to raise Australia’s emissions reduction target, but only made a brief mention of its drive to host a United Nations conference on climate change with the nations of the islands. Pacific, with Pacific leaders welcoming the idea.
At a post-forum press conference, Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said he “would love to see a COP.” [UN climate conference] come to the Pacific “, but added that the negotiations were” much more defined by what they produce than … where they are held “.
The Pacific Islands Forum has also published its 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which sets an urgent tone on climate change and repeatedly calls for accelerated and drastic action to reduce emissions.
Bainimarama also previously sent a clear message to Australia, saying on social media that he had urged Mr Albanese to introduce more ambitious targets compatible with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees.
“Throughout every meeting and discussion I have held this week, I have been clear and consistent in our calls for more ambitious climate commitments,” he said after the leaders meeting.
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But Albanese said the Pacific had overwhelmingly welcomed Labor’s promise to increase ambition by trying to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030, and said none of the leaders with whom it had met he had pressed for the withdrawal of new oil and gas projects.
“Today not a single person has raised these questions at the meeting, nor has it been raised at any of the meetings I have held,” he said.
“What you have to do is have a real plan with a real timeline. That’s what we have.”
The Prime Minister also noted that the forum’s final communiqué would say that leaders welcomed Australia’s renewed commitment to reducing emissions, calling it a clear support for his government’s position.
“It was also reflected in all the person-to-person dialogues I had with prime ministers and other leaders of our Pacific Islanders,” he said.
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Continued attempts to fix the PIF fracture
All Pacific leaders at the meeting also signed the Suva Accord, designed to restore political unity within the forum after a detrimental rift opened over Micronesia’s failed bid for the post of secretary general.
Kiribati struck a blow at the forum when it announced over the weekend that it would not sign the Suva Agreement and would leave the body immediately.
Pacific leaders, including Mr Bainimarama, spent days trying unsuccessfully to reach the president of Kiribati to persuade him to change his mind.
Albanese said there had been a breakthrough on Thursday afternoon when Bainimarama managed to speak by telephone with President Taneti Maamau, who indicated he was still open to reconsidering his decision.
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Hints on China’s diplomatic push in the region
No specific mention of China is expected in the final statement. However, Albanese said the document would make clear references to the importance of ensuring that the Pacific has the key responsibility for its own security and would make it clear that agreements leading to several Pacific countries should not be left out. the Pacific Islands Forum.
This is partly a reference to China’s controversial push to sign a comprehensive regional security pact with 10 countries during a visit to the region by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in May.
China was forced to suspend the deal after Pacific nations complained that they were not properly consulted early, and some leaders suggested the deal should go to the Pacific Islands Forum. Pacific.
Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna made a rare direct criticism of Beijing after the leaders’ meeting, when he suggested that China’s approach had been wrong.
“There is a clear difference with the approach taken by China through its foreign minister when he came here a couple of months ago. They came here with their own results document ready,” he said.
“And our partners have reacted against that. Because the fact is that if someone knows what we want, what we need and what our priorities are, it’s not the others, it’s us.
“So it was on that basis that the region didn’t accept that approach. And I’m sure you’ll agree that this has to be the way to go.”
At a press conference on Tuesday, Albanese suggested that China’s influence may have waned in the Pacific in recent days when journalists pressured him on the issue.
“Well, look, it’s up to others to comment on the influence of other countries. What I would say about our influence is that the influence of Australia, which has historically been a country of great importance to the region, has seen reinforced with this meeting and that is important, ”he said.
“I’d rather not comment on someone else’s influence, but all of these things are relative. If Australia is increasing its influence, then, by definition, that has an impact.”