SPC's talks with French president

Transcript

A high-level meeting between the French President and Pacific Island leaders in Noumea has sparked optimism that the Pacific's fight against climate change will finally be put under the spotlight.

Francois Hollande pledged his commitment to put the issue on the world stage during talks held by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community at its headquarters.

France will host a key climate change summit in Paris next year, known as COP 21, where a new, universal climate agreement is due to be signed.

The SPC's director-general, Colin Tukuitonga, spoke to Amelia Langford about how the president's visit came about.

SPC director-general, Colin Tukuitonga, says France will fund a high-level international climate change expert, to be based at the SPC from 2015.

COLIN TUKUITONGA: It's very good for the Pacific. I think the leaders were happy that France, one of the big nations, has come to the Pacific and spoke with them at their level ,and promised - made some commitments to lift the profile of the small island states on this big issue of climate change and in particular heading towards the COP 21 meeting in Paris in December 2015, where everyone is hopeful there will be a binding agreement on countries to reduce emissions.

AMELIA LANGFORD: And how much leverage do you think France has on the world stage in terms of advancing the climate change agenda?

CT: Well, France is one of the, I don't know how you would describe it, a dormant power in global terms. The opportunity provided by COP 21 is something they intend to use to good effect and to make it successful. People keep referring to the failure of Copenhagen back in 2009 and nobody wants to go back there. France themselves are pushing ahead in creating and building momentum so even the countries that sort of sit on the fence are starting to come through. There is no doubt in my mind - not just because of the fact that they have the presidency of Cop 21, which is the ongoing UN process on climate convention,  but also because France is a founding member of the Pacific community, back in 1947, and this is the first time the president has visited us at the SPC. And so they feel themselves that they are part of the Pacific community and regardless of the fact that they are chairing Cop 21 they are taking their Pacific membership in the Pacific community very seriously and indeed wanting to do better with the island states.

AL: What does it mean to have the French President's support here?

CT: Oh, given their role in the world globally but also specifically to do with the UN Convention process as presidency of COP 21 where a binding agreement is expected, France will clearly have a very important leadership role in terms of broadcasting and projecting the voice of the Pacific globally and the President and the Foreign Affairs Minister left no doubt whatsoever that they are prepared to do that on behalf of and as part of the Pacific community.

SPC director-general, Colin Tukuitonga, says France will fund a high-level international climate change expert, to be based at the SPC from 2015.