Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
'We Cannot Let This Moment Pass': Palau Leader Is All-In For Australia-led Pacific COP
Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr fully supports a Australia-led Pacific United Nations climate change conference (COP31) next year.
Whipps, who is in Sydney to promote smart energy and support Australia's COP31 bid, said hosting the annual climate conference in partnership with the Pacific is Canberra's "opportunity to lead on the world stage-with credibility and conscience".
His comments follow the Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton telling journalists last week that hosting the COP31 would cost "tens of billions of taxpayers' dollars" and describing it as "madness" and "not something we're supporting".
Despite being on the frontline of the climate crisis, the Pacific has never physically hosted a COP meeting.
Whipps said the Pacific region is most vulnerable to climate change and the most determined to do something about it.
"And from our vantage point, there is no more important diplomatic gathering each year than the COP," Whipps said.
"Bringing COP to the Pacific at this moment would allow the world to witness both the crisis and the leadership up close.
"To see not only the devastating impacts of climate change, but also the real, local, and scalable solutions that Australia and Pacific nations are already delivering".
He said geographic concentration, and fossil fuel friendliness, of the last three COP hosts is unprecedented and difficult to ignore.
"Let us not lose sight of the United Nations principle of 'equitable geographic representation'.
"We cannot let this moment pass without giving the Pacific a platform to lead.
"Hosting COP31 in our region is not just about symbolism, it is a test of fairness, balance, and integrity in the global climate process. Which is exactly what I have told President Erdogan given Turkiye's interest also in hosting the gathering."
Whipps said he was confident that Australia and the Pacific will work together in a genuine and equal partnership.
"Our people expect a Pacific COP31 to be a defining moment, one where we confront and resolve difficult issues, even when they are uncomfortable to discuss," he added.
RNZ
New Zealand's public broadcaster, providing comprehensive NZ news and current affairs, specialist audio features and documentaries.
Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. Radio New Zealand News are vital elements in our programming, providing impartial news and information to New Zealanders every day. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) provides listeners with exciting and independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter.
Conservation International: Conservation International Expedition Reveals Ecosystem Recovery In Tokelau
UN Special Procedures - Human Rights: UN Expert Urges States To Finance Inclusive And Sustainable Development, Not A War Economy
Amnesty International Aotearoa NZ: Global - Recorded Executions Highest Since 2015
Save The Children: MYANMAR - Heavy Rains Heighten Risk Of Disease Outbreaks Following Earthquake
UNICEF Aotearoa NZ: Aid Cuts Threaten Fragile Progress In Ending Maternal Deaths, UN Agencies Warn
Médecins Sans Frontières: Concern Over Planned Deportation Of Afghan Refugees In Pakistan