14 Jul 2015

Micronesia learns climate speak

5:48 am on 14 July 2015

Countries in Micronesia are sharpening their negotiating skills ahead of the world climate change talks in Paris this December.

Water tanks arriving on Fais in Federated States of Micronesia to help community recover from super typhoon Maysak and prepare for climate change in future

Water tanks arriving on Fais in Federated States of Micronesia earlier this year, to help the community recover from super typhoon Maysak and prepare for future disasters Photo: Rupeni Mario

Senior officials from the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands are in Pohnpei this week to learn from regional and international climate change experts as they prepare their country positions for Paris.

The workshop is funded by the German Government aid organisation GIZ and its programme director Wulf Killmann says it is important for Pacific countries to present a united front at COP21 if they are to stand a chance of getting something concrete out of the talks.

"We need from Paris, a binding agreement where not only the traditional emission rich countries like Europe and Japan and the USA and Canada and Australia. But also the newcomers like China and India. To commit to a reduction in Greenhouse gas emissions."

Dr Wulf Killmann.