Pacific climate change

Fiji COP 23 Presidency a tremendous opportunity for SIS voice to be heard

And, Forum Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor said linking oceans to climate change is crucial for the Pacific.

“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity for us and the Prime Minister of Fiji has assured this in his discussions with Pacific Leaders a couple of months ago. Holding Paris together is really important in terms of the temperature rises. For us its 1.5 degrees. 

“Linking oceans to climate change is a big one for the Pacific. For us the two issues are not separate. In the Paris Agreement there was reference to Oceans but it’s not strong enough.

Pacific worried by Trump and climate change

RNZ reports the president-elect repeatedly said during his campaign that climate change was a hoax created by China and that, if elected, he would withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement.

However, the director general of the Pacific Community or SPC, Colin Tukuitonga, said he expects to continue working with the US to mitigate climate change in the region.

New report on tackling climate threats to Pacific Island food security

But innovative, participatory approaches may help policy makers navigate possible future scenarios in order to develop the right policy responses.

The report, Climate change and Pacific Island Food Systems, outlines the most pressing issues facing this region, using vivid infographics and photos to illustrate temperature and rainfall extremes; sea level rise; impacts on food crops, fisheries and aquaculture, and food and nutrition.

Photographer to expose Pacific climate plight

RNZI reports Vlad Sokhin has travelled to at least 10 of the region's countries and territories for his project, "Warm Waters", documenting sea level rise, changing weather patterns, and food and water shortages.

Mr Sokhin said he hopes his work will expose what's going on in some of the most isolated parts of the world in the international arena.

Australia needs US-style green card deal for climate-threatened Pacific islanders

And to boost historically low rates of migration from the Pacific, Australia should consider instituting a green card-style lottery for Pacific islanders to live and work in Australia, and boost seasonal worker numbers to industries such as horticulture.

Migration from Pacific countries to Australia has been consistently low for decades – representing less than 0.5% of all visas granted to Australia – but the Migration Council, an independent migration policy body, argues that the movement of people from the Pacific could benefit source countries and Australia.

Pacific Islands bear brunt of climate change, says activists

Each person carries a story they’ve shared along the four-thousand kilometre relay.

Euronews spoke to several Pacific Islanders who say they are bearing the brunt of the effects of climate change.

“It’s not just an environmental issue, it’s a human issue, it affects everybody,” explained Milan Loeak from the Pacific Indigenous Network, Marshall Islands. “But we are more adamant about it, more passionate about it because we are at the frontline, we feel it every day. That’s why we are here”.

New Zealanders urged to look at climate change roots

Pala Molisa from the School of Accounting and Commercial Law at Victoria Business School was one of the speakers at a major march in the New Zealand capital yesterday demanding climate change justice.