CLIMATE change has been used as a political football, says former Kiribati president Anote Tong.
Speaking at the Oceania Planetary Health Forum in Sigatoka this week, Mr Tong highlighted how changing governments have used climate change as a tool to push their own agendas.
“There are those who continue to deny climate change is not real, there are those who truly do not understand and there are also those who believe we can put it aside for the time being and we can come back to it later,” said Mr Tong.
“And, of course, there are those who truly feel threatened by whatever action needs to be undertaken in order to deal with climate change.
“Those who regard climate change as a distraction from their insatiable drive for power.
“This is what I believe makes climate change so much more dangerous because at the global level we are divided.”
Mr Tong said regrettably, climate change had become an issue that was not important in many countries.
“With the recent change in administration in the United States, the US has once again withdrawn from the climate change talks for the second time.
“Australia is about to go into elections very soon and we will see what happens because we witnessed what happened in New Zealand when the change of administration, climate initiatives undertaken by the previous government had been derailed.
“What will happen with another change should there be a change of administration in Australia?
“So, the tragedies in dealing with climate change is thinking that climate change could be kicked around as a political football even in our own countries.”
Mr Tong added that in some countries in the Pacific, the issue was used to gain support.
“Even in our country climate change is regarded as my baby and it became a political issue.
“It is so regrettable because we are the most vulnerable.”
The forum ended on February 28.
