PINA

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow The rest of the world must play its part in slowing climate change and helping island states to adapt to its impacts says Inger Andersen Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Speaking at the COP 26 High-Level Event organised by Pacific Islands Forum Saturday, Andersen said nations...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow COP26 President Alok Sharma says finding consensus this week is not going to be straightforward as they face the arduous task of building political consensus between almost 200 countries. He made the statement as countries tries to reach an agreement in the final week of climate change negotiations. “Nowhere is immune to climate change and this...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow As COP26 enters its final week of negotiation, Pacific Small Islands Developing States (PSIDS) have expressed disappointment with the slow progress being made in Glasgow. Samoan Prime Minister and Chair of PSIDS Naomi Fiame Mata’afa told the Pacific Leaders Informal Dialogue with UK Lord Goldsmith Monday, their collective position is that if COP26 is to...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow The Pacific has called for a dedicated funding facility for loss and damage as the world enters the final week of COP26 climate change negotiation underway in Glasgow. The call came as the COP26 presidency made adaptation, loss and damage the theme for Monday negotiation. Developing countries including the Pacific are calling for additional and dedicated...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has called on every world leaders to take immediate action that limits global warming to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree Celsius threshold. At the COP26 High-Level Event he hosted as the Forum Chair, Bainimarama said 1.5-degree is not just a preference –– it should be a promise that we do not break. “To...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow Fijian Prime Minister and Forum Chair Voreqe Bainimarama says the ocean is central to the people of the Pacific and called for urgent action to reduce and prevent the irreversible impacts of climate change on our Ocean. Speaking at the launch of the Declaration on Preservation of Maritime Zones in the face of sea level rise...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow Pacific Ocean Commissioner Henry Puna has called on leaders of the Pacific to never give up in global leadership in ocean governance. Speaking at the launch of the Declaration on Preservation of Maritime Zones in the face of sea level rise for the Pacific at the margins of COP26 in Glasgow, Henry Puna said the Climate-Ocean...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow The Scottish Government pledged £1 million (US$1.3 million) for 'Loss and Damage' has been welcomed by International NGOs. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her government would partner with the Climate Justice Resilience Fund to “address loss and damage” caused by climate change to support the victims of climate disasters of vulnerable countries. Responding to the...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is the first country in the region to deposit its maritime boundaries baselines with the United Nations. Speaking at the ‘Implementing the ocean-climate nexus through increased coordination and cooperation between UN bodies: opportunities for the future BBNJ (Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction) instrument side events, Pacific Ocean Commissioner Henry...

By Pita Ligaiula in Glasgow The link between the ocean and climate is vital for survival of this Blue Planet, says Pacific Ocean Commissioner and Forum Secretary General Henry Puna. At the UN Ocean Decade event by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission on Wednesday, Puna gave a timely reminder that the “Decade of Ocean Science is one of our best chances,...