The New Zealand foreign minister
says while a number of Pacific leaders see climate change as
a security threat, the most important issue facing their
countries is development.
Winston Peters met with a
range of Pacific leaders at the recent United Nations
General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York. He spoke to
Pacific Waves following his return this
week.
Peters said he raised his concerns about the
Paris Climate Accord with Pacific leaders directly. He also
referenced his address at a climate change breakfast he
co-chaired with Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo during the
Assembly week.
“They’re realists, and they could see
what I was saying that. If we think we can solve it
ourselves, when 60 percent [of emissions] is from four
countries, then we’re on an engagement with a battle we
can’t win. That’s the real point here.”
In New York,
Peters captured headlines with his address at the breakfast
event.
He told the room the world needed to be “honest
and realistic” and face the “elephant in the room” on global
emissions. The World Bank Global Director for Climate
Change, Valerie Hickey, reportedly said that Peters had “dropped
a truth bomb” with the address.
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading
Peters told
Pacific Waves that while he accepted that “a number
of” Pacific leaders saw climate change as a security threat
to the region, he believed sustainable development of
Pacific Islands was “what really matters”.
In 2018,
Pacific Islands Forum nations stated climate change was the
biggest threat to the region through the Boe
Declaration. Signatories also reaffirmed their
commitment to the Paris agreement in the
declaration.
“A lot of people talk,” Peters said. “A
lot of the United Nations talk a lot, but when you ask:
‘Well, where’s your money?’ None of them are putting any
money up, but New Zealand’s certainly paying its
part.”
Peters also pointed to $20
million New Zealand pledged last year to the Pacific
Resilience Facility – a regional fund targeted at climate
and disaster financing for Pacific
communities.
New Zealand’s public broadcaster, providing comprehensive NZ news and current affairs, specialist audio features and documentaries.
Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. Radio New Zealand News are vital elements in our programming, providing impartial news and information to New Zealanders every day. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) provides listeners with exciting and independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter.
