Climate Change

An open letter signed by the likes of Sanford, the Warehouse, Z Energy, and Ernst & Young will be delivered to Parliament at midday today.

The letter has 60 signatories, reflecting a wide cross-section of New Zealand interests, including finance, transport, retail, fishing, tourism, hospitality, wine, conservation, science, beauty, medicine, health and religion.

The letter said businesses and people were already taking action to move to a low-carbon economy and the government needed to follow suit.

At the current COP22 talks in the Moroccan capital, Marrakesh, Fiji put in a bid to co-chair the next climate change conference, COP23, and gained the support of the grouping of Small Island States, AOSIS, and Pacific island delegations.

Sylvie Goyet, a Pacific Community delegate at COP22, expected Fiji's nomination by the whole Asia Pacific group to be confirmed over the next few days.

He pledged to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which leading nations signed in April, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Donald Trump doesn't believe global warming is a real threat to the USA.

He tweeted his opinions on the matter in 2012 and 2014, although later denied his tweets, when challenged by Hillary Clinton.

Globally, forced displacement related to disasters as well as the adverse effects of climate is a reality and among the biggest humanitarian challenges facing the international community in the 21st century.

According to the Platform for Disaster Displacement, formerly the Nansen Initiative, between 2008 and 2014 a total of 184.4 million people were displaced by sudden-onset disasters, an average of 26.4 million people newly displaced each year.

The President-Elect Donald Trump has previously said he will cancel the US commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.

Sylvie Goyet, who is part of the SPC delegation at COP22, said Pacific countries need to remain positive and ambitious in their focus on climate change action.

She said the meeting in Marrakesh is about action and implementation on climate change mitigation.

Ms Goyet said she expects the COP22 groups, including the Alliance of Small Island States, to call for immediate talks with the US President-Elect.

Donald Trump Photo: AFP

The team was led by Professor Dag Rune Olsen, Rector, University of Bergen (DRO) and comprised Professor Tore Furevik, Director of the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research; Professor Edvard Hviding, Director of the Bergen Pacific Studies Research Group; and Ms Nina B. Dahl, Studies Adviser in Anthropology

Professor Olsen stated that there are opportunities for further collaboration and expansion of the existing collaboration between the two universities.

The team was led by Professor Dag Rune Olsen, Rector, University of Bergen (DRO) and comprised Professor Tore Furevik, Director of the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research; Professor Edvard Hviding, Director of the Bergen Pacific Studies Research Group; and Ms Nina B. Dahl, Studies Adviser in Anthropology

Professor Olsen stated that there are opportunities for further collaboration and expansion of the existing collaboration between the two universities.

 Playing a pivotal role with the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) at the Climate Conference in December last year which brought about the Paris Agreement, the Pacific islands have shown solidarity yet again in ratifying the Agreement which starts from the year 2020.

But the celebrations have reflected an urgency among Tuvaluans who are trying to keep their culture alive and strong, while their small island nation is sinking.

FRDP is the world’s first integrated regional framework to build resilience to climate change and disasters.

The FRDP was developed in response to recommendations from the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management and Pacific Climate Change Roundtable in 2011 and endorsed by the Pacific Island Forum Leaders in 2012.

The Framework aims to ensure that climate change and disasters are understood as a development challenge with priority actions to address vulnerability to climate change and disasters and build resilience across all sectors.