350 teams from across the globe share their reactions to Bidens Leaders Summit

As 40 world leaders gather to participate in Biden’s first step onto the international climate stage, the Pacific Climate Warriors are urging these leaders to take decisive action on the climate crisis by drastically reducing emissions to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celcius — as part of the Paris Agreement’s goals. 

The Leaders Summit on Climate will take place on 22 April and aims to underscore the urgency of immediate and more robust climate action.  It will be a crucial milestone on the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November in Glasgow.

350.org Pacific Managing Director Joseph Sikulu issued the following statement:

“In a world recovering from COVID-19 and the climate crisis, governments need to quickly divest from the fossil fuel industry and begin investing in a just recovery for all. Countries with high emissions, such as the United States and Australia, must stop subsidizing oil, gas and coal and direct their investments toward clean and just renewable energy so that we can limit Earth’s warming to 1.5 degrees.

To date, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has not announced a concrete plan to reduce emissions. Instead, he thinks that fossil fuel companies can solve the climate crisis, which is a massive irony. The Summit is an excellent opportunity for him and other leaders to look on the leadership of the Marshall Islands – the only Pacific island nation present. Australia must recognise that they have few options: either catch up by COP26 or remain a climate laggard who contributes to climate disaster.”

Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner, Poet and Republic of the Marshall Islands Climate Envoy, said:

“In the Pacific, we are actively living through the climate crisis — cyclone after cyclone, as rising sea levels, threaten to engulf our oceans. With these lived realities, Pacific leadership and communities have risen to the challenge and come up with climate solutions, allowing us to be more resilient. While the Marshall Islands is the only Pacific representative in the Summit, we call on leaders to look towards their leadership. The world is at a crossroads now. The leaders of high-emitting countries can choose the right path — a just recovery away from fossil fuels, towards a clean energy future, and they must do it now.

The feature was published by 350.org, reposted via PACNEWS.