The Pacific Community (SPC) and Aotearoa New Zealand sign bold new deal to boost climate action across the Pacific
The Pacific Community (SPC) and Aotearoa New Zealand have signed a bold new deal to boost climate action across the Pacific.
Announcing the new partnership that will underpin the Pacific Community's (SPC) Climate Change Flagship programme, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said, “In the face of the escalating impacts of climate change on our region, it's vital we...
World could face record temperatures in 2023 as El Nino returns
The world could breach a new average temperature record in 2023 or 2024, fuelled by climate change and the anticipated return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, climate scientists say.
Climate models suggest that after three years of the La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, which generally lowers global temperatures slightly, the world will experience a return to...
Human, economic, environmental toll of climate change on the rise: WMO
The relentless advance of climate change brought more drought, flooding and heatwaves to communities around the world last year, compounding threats to people’s lives and livelihoods, the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Friday.
WMO latest State of the Global Climate report shows that the last eight years were the eight warmest on record, and that sea level rise...
Sacked health chief hits ‘blatant corruption’ in Marshall Islands, seeks probe into trust funds
Jack Niedenthal, who was recently “fired” as health secretary of the Marshall Islands, blasted the national government for turning a blind eye to the “blatant corruption” involving “greedy politicians.”
“Our people, at the hands of our own corrupt leaders, are like the tiny little bait fish in the ocean. If they get too close to the surface of the sea,...
Launch into action of Exercise CROIX DU SUD 2023
Exercise Croix du Sud (Southern Cross) will run from 24 April to 6 May in New Caledonia.
This major joint and combined military exercise, planned and led by France, will consist in a multinational force conducting a post disaster humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operation, involving important land, maritime and air assets and unit from 19 nations, including France.
Exercise...
La Niña impacts felt throughout the Pacific
Flooding. Droughts. Landslides. Storm surges. Coastal Inundation
These were some of the impacts of a triple-dip La Niña event, which was declared for the Pacific last year. A triple-dip La Niña means that the system developed three years in a row. The first La Niña event was declared in 2020, and again in 2021 and 2022.
La Niña occurs when there...
China’s growing footprint in the Pacific likened to pre–pearl Harbour Japan
A delegation led by a Solomon Islands leader ousted by the Pacific nation’s pro-Beijing government delivered a stark warning last week: that China’s growing influence in their country foreshadows an authoritarian takeover — and, potentially, a future attack on the U.S akin to Pearl Harbour.
“When you look back at World War II, this is the similar thing that has...
Pacific Island nations embark on addressing Human trafficking
Since opening borders after the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia and New Zealand have been aggressively sourcing for Pacific Islander workers to help fill a severe labour shortage in their countries.
In the meantime, with investments from Asia, especially China and Korea, increasing in the region, Asian workers have been slowly filtering into the island nations, especially Fiji.
This month (18-20 April), the...
U.S pledges $1 billion to Green Climate Fund amid call to keep 1.5C in reach
The U.S will provide US$1 billion to the UN’s flagship climate fund – its first such contribution in six years.
Joe Biden made the commitment as he hosted a virtual meeting of world leaders last Thursday to spur high-level leadership to limit global warming to 1.5C.
This is the first time since 2017 the U.S has pledged cash to the Green...
Rio Tinto facing suit from Panguna landowners
The sheer environmental degradation and considerable loss of life that followed Rio Tinto’s running of Bougainville’s Panguna gold and copper mine must rank it as one of the world’s greatest mining debacles.
Seven years after Rio transferred its majority shareholding to the Papua New Guinea and Bougainville governments, and 25 years after the end of the civil war sparked by...