Climate Change

This was the question posed during the recent meeting of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (Australia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, New Zealand, CEPAC – the rest of the Pacific).

An urgent ethical challenge facing the worldwide human family today concerns economic development dependent upon fossil fuel based energy, especially coal.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was speaking from London at the closing of the CHOGM conference on Friday.

All 53 member countries have affirmed their commitment to the most ambitious UN Paris Agreement target of limiting the increase of global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times.

Members also committed to protecting oceans and marine environments from threats such as climate change, pollution and over fishing.

Tuilaepa welcomed the renewed interest in the Commonwealth's values and principles.

At a certain time each year, sometimes-twice-a-year, masses of spaghetti-like strands rise to the surface of the sea. 

Its late night to early morning arrival usually takes place on a moonlit night at a time usually predicted by those who follow the lunar calendar. Palolo's arrival marks the start of an anciently practiced fishing tradition, warmly welcomed with the celebratory sounds of Samoa, that traditionally saw people dressed and scented to signal something very special.

The seaside village near Apia in Samoa was visited by a New Zealand delegation of business leaders and MPs yesterday, including Climate Change Minister James Shaw.

The trip is part of the Prime Minister's whirlwind tour as Jacinda Ardern kicks off what the government has called its "Pacific reset".

Ofeira Faasau has lived in Moata'a since she was a child. The walkway that connected the village now gets swamped during high tide, effectively cutting it off, she said.

The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund and the Government of Samoa.

A statement said the target of the project is to strengthen adaptive capacity and reduce exposure to climate risks faced by vulnerable communities and infrastructure in the Vaisigano River catchment. 

This region is home to Samoa’s highest concentration of public infrastructure such as hydro stations, bridges, roads, schools, hospitals, and government buildings; as well as private homes and businesses.

He was speaking to a group of climate scientists, experts and delegates in New Zealand's capital at the Pacific Climate Conference.

Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi opened the climate summit reminding delegates that people from developed nations are not immune to the effects of climate change.

The remains of Cyclone Gita had just passed through Wellington and forced a change to the conference programme as some delegates were not able get into the city on day one.

The one day talks are aimed at leading business towards renewables and away from a carbon economy.

With more than a touch of showbiz panache, and among the shaking of hands and platitudes, the commitments started coming through.

The World Bank announced it would stop funding oil and gas exploration and extraction by 2019.

This drew a perfect smile from Sir Richard Branson, but there was more to come.

Two years after the Paris agreement France's president has called together the world's financial and political leaders to come up with action to meet its goals.

Pacific leaders have long called for more financial commitment and innovation to avoid catastrophe.

Emmanuel Macron's main focus for the One Planet Summit is to determine how the financial sector can better support climate action.

The changes necessary will not pay for themselves and innovation is needed.

The five countries are the Cook Islands, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

The company, which is owned by the Pacific Island countries, was set up after states saw a need for a mechanism to protect their people from increasing climate and seismic risks.

It provides a regional catastrophe insurance platform offering cover that can be paid out within 10 days of a triggered event, so governments have access to immediate liquidity for disaster response.

Photo: 350 Pacific Damage caused by tropical cyclone Amos 

Pacific Community Director General Dr. Colin Tukuitonga says climate change is beyond economic survival and it is now a moral issue world leaders must take a stand on.

He says Pope Francis reassured Pacific leaders of his support when they met him in Rome before the COP 23 talks in Bonn.

"Mostly people now are saying that clearly climate change is not a scientific discussion anymore it's actually a moral ethical one."