Fossil fuels

A Pacific minister's climate conference was attended by seven nations over three days in Vanuatu last week - only days after back-to-back category four cyclones.

The conference resulted in six countries signing the Port Vila call for a just transition to a fossil fuel free Pacific.

The signatories - Tonga, Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu - acknowledged the cyclones as the latest example of "fossil fuel-induced loss and damage" in the region.

He has told the Dialogue On Pathways to Transition Away From Just Fossil Fuels being held in Port Vila that science and fact must drive the world forward, not money.

He said such a commission would produce an authoritative evidence base on the impacts of fossil fuels and would inform the phase out that's needed.

Regenvanu said the fossil fuel industry must be held to account for "practically singlehandedly taking the world beyond the goal of staying below 1.5 degrees celsius".

In a speech in Canberra, Dame Meg Taylor warned that climate change had brought truly desperate times to the Pacific Islands.

Dame Meg urged unity from Australia, saying the region could not afford to have one or two acting in ways that place the wellbeing of the region at risk.

At the Forum Leaders' Summit last week, Australia was the country that tried to water down a commitment to climate change action.

The government of Australian prime minister Scott Morrison was also planning to officially dump emissions reduction targets.