COUNTRIES across the globe should attend the Pacific’s Pre-COP meeting to witness firsthand how climate change is affecting the most vulnerable island nations.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong made this call yesterday echoing Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s appeal following claims that Canberra was finding it difficult to attract participation from countries outside the Pacific.
The Pre-COP meeting is expected to bring together governments ahead of the annual United Nations climate negotiations, providing Pacific nations with an opportunity to highlight their priorities and experiences before global talks begin.
Ms Wong said Australia wanted the meeting to elevate Pacific voices and encourage international leaders to better understand the region’s vulnerability to climate change.
“I join with him in saying to the world, come to the Pacific and see for yourself the reality of climate change for Pacific Island nations,” she said.
Ms Wong said Australia had long worked with Pacific nations to ensure their concerns were heard in international climate discussions and said the upcoming Pre-COP meeting would continue that effort.
“We do want to elevate Pacific voices and Pacific priorities through the forum. We will continue to encourage leaders to come.”
Meanwhile, Ms Wong is in Fiji for the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting to be held today, where representatives from 18 member countries and territories are discussing regional priorities.
She said Australia viewed regional cooperation as increasingly important as Pacific nations faced a range of shared challenges, including climate change, health, economic pressures and a more uncertain geopolitical environment.
