The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has expressed regret over the United States’ decision to withdraw from the regional body, while warning that the Pacific remains in a state of climate emergency.
SPREP Director General Sefanaia Nawadra said the organisation remains focused on addressing the interconnected crises facing the region.
“Our work to cushion our Pacific communities against the impacts of the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and waste and pollution remains at the forefront of everything we do,” Nawadra said in a statement.
“As Pacific people, we fully understand the severity of the challenges and SPREP is actively engaged on several fronts to ensure a resilient Pacific environment, sustaining our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures,” he said.
Nawadra said the United States’ withdrawal presents an early challenge for the year, particularly given the region’s geopolitical context.
“The announcement by the United States (U.S) of its withdrawal from SPREP, being one of 66 international bodies deemed to be ‘contrary to U.S national interests’ is an early challenge for the year,” he said.
“A lot of questions were asked about the implications, especially in the face of a fiercely contested region, geopolitically. The biggest potential loss for us, apart from the political presence of the U.S as valued member, are the many strong working relationships we have built with U.S technical agencies and organisations,” Nawadra said.
He said SPREP respects the United States’ decision while remaining guided by its mandate from Pacific leaders.
“We respect the sovereignty of the United States in making this decision, but I am comforted that all our actions have been within the mandate given to us by our Members,” he said.
“Our Pacific leaders have repeatedly stated that climate change represents the single greatest threat to our people, threatening livelihoods, security, and our very existence, we as a region remain in a state of climate emergency,” Nawadra said.
“SPREP will continue to advocate strongly and unceasingly for all countries to rally together and deepen their commitments under the Paris Agreement to ensure we are at the forefront of critical efforts to keep 1.5 to stay alive,” he said.
Nawadra said climate priorities of Pacific member countries will remain central to SPREP’s work, including engagement in global climate negotiations.
“The climate change priorities of our member countries in the Pacific will continue to be a central focus of SPREP’s work,” he said.
“We applaud Australia and the Pacific Small Island Developing States together with New Zealand for our strong bid to host COP 31,” Nawadra said.
“In a perfect world and with fair governance we would have had the privilege of hosting here in the Pacific for the first time, but COP 30 decided otherwise and we will support the journey to Turkiye,” he said.
He said SPREP is focused on ensuring strong Pacific outcomes from future climate talks.
“We are excited by the opportunities provided to the Pacific for hosting the pre-COP and the role of Australia as ‘President of Negotiations.’ We will be doing all we can to ensure that COP 31 is the ‘Pacific COP’ hosted in Turkiye,” Nawadra said.
Nawadra also welcomed the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement as a major win for the region’s ocean leadership.
“A victory is the entry into force of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea following years of negotiations,” he said.
“It is a welcome positive outcome for Pacific’s continued global leadership on ocean and marine conservation,” Nawadra said.
“The BBNJ Agreement is an opportunity to extend our wise stewardship beyond our EEZs, in particular within the International water pockets between Pacific EEZs and into the areas surrounding our collective EEZs,” he said.
“It is also an opportunity to link our large marine protected areas and fisheries management areas into corridors that can better conserve and manage migratory species and meet our 30X30 commitments,” Nawadra said.
