I will not leave the lands of my ancestors! I will not abandon my motherland! I refuse to leave the only place I call home!” These were the words of 21-year-old youth and future leader of Kiribati, Ms. Tabitha Awerika, at a side event organised by the Coalition of Atoll Nations on Climate Change (CAN-CC), […]
Stories
Posted inStory / Our region
Pacific island nations at the climate talks: Leave no one behind
Describing climate change as one of the greatest threats to their survival, leaders of the sinking countries in the Pacific region urged the international community at the 25th Conference of Parties (COP25) to urgently act and avert climate crisis. “ We are clearly on the frontline of climate change. They are realities for countries in […]
Posted inStory / Tuvalu
Climate fuelled disasters forcing more than 20 million people a year from their homes
Climate fuelled disasters were the number one driver of displacement within countries over the last decade, forcing more than 20 million people to leave their homes each year, Oxfam said today. The contentious issue of financial support for communities that have suffered loss and damage as a result of the climate crisis, including people who […]
Posted inStory / Solomon Islands
Climate change is a factor in turning to China for some Pacific nations
This month, the Trump administration formally began the yearlong process of pulling the United States out of the 2015 Paris Agreement. It will be the first and only country to quit the 200-nation deal to combat climate change. That’s a big concern for some of the world’s most vulnerable countries, including the small island nations […]
Posted inStory / Our region
SPC and GIZ sign agreement to support NDC hub
The Regional Pacific Nationally Determined Contributions Hub (NDC Hub) was launched in 2017 as a response to calls from Pacific Island Countries (PICs) for a regional platform to support them in implementing, enhancing and financing their national climate commitments made under the Paris Agreement (CoP 21). Through the NDC Hub, a team of experts from […]
Posted inStory / Our region
Commonwealth enters new partnership to enhance climate action in Pacific
The Commonwealth has entered into an innovative partnership with a UN agency to enhance climate action and disaster preparedness via satellite earth observation. The partnership will support some small island developing states in the Commonwealth, namely Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, with access to vital satellite-based tools and information on disaster and climate risks to […]
Posted inStory / Palau
Palau President supports Pacific Islands Environment Leadership Award
In 2020, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the 10th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas will recognise and honour Pacific Islanders with a commitment to environmental sustainability and resilience within the Pacific Islands. The special PIELA ceremony will be held during the 10th Pacific Islands Conference on […]
Posted inStory / Solomon Islands
New diplomat to UN wants more Pacific say over ocean resources
Solomon Islands’ incoming representative to the United Nations wants to ensure Pacific countries gain control over their ocean resources. Transform Aqorau, who was the original chief executive of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, helped turn the group of Pacific Island nations into a force to be reckoned with in the international tuna trade. In […]
Posted inStory / Fiji
World Bank supports Fiji boosts resilience to climate change
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on Friday 8th November approved US$64 million in support for Fiji’s efforts to strengthen its medium-term fiscal sustainability, improve the country’s business climate, and build resilience to climate change. The new operation will also support enhancements to Fiji’s business environment through improvements to Fiji’s business registration procedures, as […]
Posted inStory / Samoa
New Ministry planned for climate response in Samoa
The Government of Samoa is in the process of planning to establish a new Climate Change Ministry to deal specifically with the challenges of adapting to global warming. Discussions for the new Ministry’s creation were confirmed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) Chief Executive Officer, Ulu Bismarck Crawley, one the sidelines of […]