european union

Small Pacific islands have big voice: EU

The European Union's climate change commissioner is confident the world won't ignore the plight of tiny Pacific island countries at risk of disappearing under rising seas.

Miguel Canete told reporters at the Pacific Island Forum in Port Moresby on Tuesday that while countries such as Kiribati and the Marshall Islands were small, their voices were loud on the world stage.

“They are very active negotiators and they have a solid case... when you have commitment and passion your voice is heard,” he said.

VIDEO: Cameron --'taking more refugees not the answer'

The UK has faced calls to take more of the hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving in Europe, many from Syria.

 

German leader presses for EU to share migrant burden

Germany has taken more asylum-seekers than any other EU country and is one of only a handful of nations that has accepted significant numbers. It expects about 800,000 migrants to arrive this year; about four times the number it saw in 2014.

Merkel pressed anew for quotas to spread the migrants out among more countries in the 28-nation EU, a call that has run into stiff resistance — in particular from eastern nations including Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

EU urges G20 countries to make climate goals public

Top EU climate official Miguel Arias Canete called Thursday on Argentina, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Turkey to submit goals to the United Nations.

He said it is important "to assess the level of ambition globally and to see whether we are on target" to keep the average global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees F) compared with pre-industrial times.

EU ex-climate chief Hedegaard backs fossil fuel divestment

Connie Hedegaard, who now chairs the KR Foundation, a climate focused funding platform, praised the movement to shift finance flows away from climate-polluting sectors.

In an exclusive interview with RTCC, recorded for our new Road to Paris podcast, she revealed it is a priority for the fund over the next 18 months.

“I would very much hope that this could be part of a package around the Paris agreement,” Hedegaard said.

Mose Commissioned as Ambassador to three EU countries

Mose is also the Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Great Britain.

Ambassador Mose acknowledged the Solomon Islands Government for having the trust and confidence in him to take up additional responsibilities to represent the interest of Solomon Islands in the countries he is accredited to.

Mose said the interests of Solomon Islands on international and bilateral issues are integral to Solomon Islands which he is committed to accomplish during his term in office.

Greece aims to finish bailout talks, get approval this week

The discussions, which started late-July, have by all accounts made progress, though officials from the European Union were less optimistic than their counterparts in Athens about the likelihood of a deal being concluded this week. Germany, for one, has stressed the importance of being thorough in the complicated negotiations.

Soldiers in Hungary begin building fence to stop migrants

On the outskirts of the southern village of Asotthalom, soldiers on Monday were using heavy machinery to drive metal rods into the ground, the first steps in the construction of the nearly 4-meter (13-foot) high fence which the government wants to finish by Aug. 31.

More than 100,000 migrants have reached Hungary on routes across the Balkans so far in 2015. 

"The linkage between agriculture and tourism is important": Renato Mele

In his opening address, Mele emphasized the important linkage between agriculture and tourism.

“The two productive sectors agriculture and tourism seem to offer the best opportunities for inclusive economic growth in the region and therefore the promotion of the linkages between the two can contribute to creating improved economic opportunities, build resilience in rural communities and enhance sustainable development in both sectors”, Renato Mele said.