Australia, US and China slammed for ignoring “real” climate threat in Pacific

A group of former Pacific Island leaders have slammed Australia and other regional powers for failing to address the “real threat” posed by climate change, while posturing around national security.

The group, including former leaders of the Marshall Islands, Palau, Kiribati and Tuvalu, as well as the former Secretary General of the Pacific Island Forum, Dame Meg Taylor, say climate change presents the greatest security threat to Pacific Island states.

They want the Pacific region’s major powers, Australia, China and the United States, to ramp up their efforts to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, and stop interfering with countries negotiating their own national security arrangements.

In a joint statement, the group said the diplomatic stoush between Australia, China and the United States – triggered by an agreement signed between China and the Solomon Islands – ignored the “real threat to the region caused by climate change”.

“The growing military tension in the Pacific region created by both China and the United States and its allies, including Australia, does little to address the real threat to the region caused by climate change,” the joint statement says.

“These nations have done very little to address their own greenhouse gas emissions, despite statements of intent by the nations. Little has been done to address the impacts of climate change in the Pacific caused by their respective greenhouse gas emissions.”

“Adequate funding for loss and damage caused by climate change needs to be addressed by Australia, China and the US in their engagement with the Pacific.”

The joint statement is signed by former president of the Marshall Islands, Hilde Heine, former president of Palau, Thomas Remengesau,  the former president of Kiribati, Anote Tong and former prime minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sopoaga.

“We are suffering from many insecurities in our region. It is time that the international community focus on these insecurities particularly in the context of climate change,” the joint statement says.

“We call on all nations to respect the sovereignty of all Pacific Island countries and the right of Pacific peoples to develop and implement their own security strategies without undue coercion from outsiders.”

The comments were backed by former Defence Force chief Admiral Chris Barrie, who said climate change was a pressing concern for Australia’s Pacific Island neighbours.

“For days our national debate has been consumed by concerns over China’s growing influence in the Pacific, but now we’ve heard directly from former Pacific Presidents that climate change is their primary security concern,” Barrie said.

“In response, our political leaders must immediately shift their focus away from blustering scare campaigns and onto dealing with the greatest security threat we all face, which is climate change, if we are to restore our relationship with our closest neighbours.”

Australia’s poor track record on reducing emissions has been cited as a contributing factor for the Solomon Island’s decision to sign a security agreement with China.

Former Kiribati president Tong was a first hand recipient of the Morrison government’s antagonism towards Pacific Island neighbours, when former environment minister Melissa Price suggested during an encounter at a Canberra restaurant, that “for the Pacific, it is always about the cash“.

Under the Morrison government, Australia has actively resisted calls from Pacific Island leaders to take stronger action on climate change, with Australian diplomats working to water down language on climate action in a communique issued by the 2019 Pacific Islands Forum.

“Pacific island leaders have clearly and repeatedly identified climate change as the greatest threat to their peoples’ future security,” Barrie said.

“This has been confirmed in official declarations from the Pacific Islands Forum, such as the 2018 Boe Declaration, which states that ‘climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of the peoples of the Pacific.”

“All Pacific island leaders say Australia is not taking their concerns seriously enough. Many are concerned that the government is prioritising the expansion of Australia’s coal and gas industries at the expense of the Pacific’s future, as the islands face fossil-fuel driven sea-level rise and extreme weather events like more intense cyclones.”

“They are quite right, but Australia’s leaders must recognise that we are equally exposed to the climate  threat.  By holding on to this obsession with fossil fuels we are destroying our own future as well as theirs,” Barrie added.