Tiana
Haxton RNZ Pacific journalist/presenter
Pacific
Island leaders are expressing frustration over how long they
have been discussing climate finance without seeing the
results they want and need.
At Pre-COP31 meeting in
Fiji and Tuvalu, leaders discussed how to make sure climate
finance actually reaches the communities who need it
most.
Australian Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen
acknowledged that improving access to finance was an
important priority.
“This is not about the quantum of
finance, but this is about ensuring those countries and
communities that need it the most get it the most, and those
who currently need it the most struggle the
most.”
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown was
frustrated over the never-ending repetitive
conversations.
He shared how in his 15 years as
finance minister, he has seen the Pacific bring the same
messages to global climate gatherings, but with little
practical action.
“We are stuck in a painful loop, and
somehow we keep finding increasingly creative ways to arrive
back at exactly the same conversation,” he said.
“I
say this with respect. We know the needs, we know the
barriers, we know that our people cannot afford to
wait.”
As world leaders prepare to meet in Türkiye
for COP31 in November, he is calling for words to become
action.
Mark Brown added that climate finance plans
can be made and discussed, but the dollars mean nothing
until they actually reach communities.
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“Next year I
hope that we will be discussing what changed, rather than
what to call another initiative. Because let us be direct
about what access means. A fund can report that money is
available. A government can report that an application is
progressing. Both statements can be true, while a community
remains unprotected.”
Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister
Manoa Kamikamica echoed his sentiments, saying by the time
funds arrive, it is too late.
“The climate finance
problem has never been only about how much money exists in
the system. It is about how far out of reach that money
sits,” he said.
“Our outlying islands that needs a
seawall or reliable water systems cannot wait for multi-year
approval cycles.
“By the time finance arrives, the
context and needs have changed, and the opportunity for
prevention has passed or worse still, damage has already
been done.”
He too is frustrated by how long the
conversation has been going for.
“We have run this
discussion in overlapping circles, only to find the gap
wider, provisions tighter, competition higher, and results
meagre.
“Access to finance is not only a concept and a
principle to frame these debates and discussions; it is an
objective we must actively drive and fund.”
Fiji’s
Environment Minister Lynda Tabuya is challenging world
leaders to “deliver” as they meet in Türkiye in
November.
“The message from this room is sharp.
Ambition must be matched by cooperation, and cooperation
must be matched by action. COP 31 must deliver outcomes that
people can feel on the ground, in our communities, and
across our economies,” she said.
She said without
access to climate finance, the door to climate action is
shut.
According to Tabuya, it is more important now
than ever for adequate and easy to access financing is made
available.
A UN report acknowledged
that keeping global warming below 1.5°C is no longer
possible, even if countries honour all of their current
emissions pledges.
Best-case scenarios now showed
global temperature increases would peak at about 1.8°C –
which is likely beyond the threshold for some ‘tipping
points’ and could cause the loss of the world’s coral
reefs.
Tabuya said Pacific people are speaking on
behalf of the Ocean.
“Large ocean states have been
clear on this importance: that it is because they live
amongst it, we understand it, and as the stewards of it, we
have a responsibility to sound the alarm when it is under
threat.”
The United Nations Secretary General’s
special envoy for the ocean reminded leaders of the impacts
rising temperatures have on the ocean.
Abassador Peter
Thomson noted that by hosting Pre-COP31 in the Pacific, the
regions leaders in attendance are all too familiar with
this.
“The ocean acts as planet Earth’s primary
climate regulator by absorbing over 90 percent of excess
heat and roughly 25 to 30 percent of human carbon dioxide
emissions.
“This absorption is having negative
effects, notably ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and
warming, leading to the disruption of marine ecosystems,
death of coral, and rising sea levels.”
He said the
regions demands have been very clear.
“So the
resounding message from the Pacific Pre-Cop should be that
never again should Mother Ocean, the planet’s primary
climate regulator, be consigned to the backroads of
deliberations.”
The Pre-COP31 is the last major
Pacific ministerial meeting before COP31 in
Türkiye.
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