Transcript
A coalition of Pacific states have taken their fight against climate change to the world stage.
Pacific Island ministers from the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Kiribati were joined by envoys from Fiji, Vanuatu and Palau in urging member states of the International Maritime Organisation to reduce their emissions.
The Marshall Islands minister for transport Mike Halferty told the this week's London meeting that the shipping industry was one of the world's big emitters.
"To put it in context, if international shipping was a country, it would be the seventh largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. The IMO must this week send a very clear signal that it will play its full part in delivering goals of the Paris Agreement."
The London coalition echoed the call made on Tuesday by Pacific Small Island Developing States for G20 members to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius above pre industrial levels.
The call was acknowledged but not endorsed by the New Zealand government, in a statement from climate change minister Paula Bennett.
"The clear message from around the world is the global community is pressing ahead with the Paris agenda. Climate change is going to be on the agenda for the G20 meeting in Hamburg, and we hope members can reach agreement on an outcome."
Ms Bennett attended this week's Climate Action Pacific Partnership event in Suva, a prelude to November's COP23 climate change conference in Germany over which Fiji will preside.
Delegates in Suva discussed a global moratorium on new coal mines and supported the idea being elevated to the COP23 conference.
The Australian economist Roderick Campbell told the Suva meeting his government as well as its coal industry could be receptive to a moratorium.
"If Australia was to stop approving new mines the affect would be to increase coal prices, which would work in the favour of existing coal mines. There are parts of the coal industry that don't want to see new coal mines and it's a great opportunity for Pacific leaders to push for this idea."
Roderick Campbell says the Pacific has more diplomatic power to fight climate change than is currently being leveraged.
