Malo e lelei, Talofa lava, Kia oranna, as well as welcome. Welcome, everyone to Voices of the Pacific, in this episode, referred to as The Modification. Today we'' re signed up with by the Supervisor General Kosi Latu from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Atmosphere Program, otherwise called SPREP, which is mostly the leading authority on decision making in the Pacific region around climate adjustment and also environmental plan. Kosi Latu is the supervisor general of SPREP, that'' s also had huge experience both as a state lawyer in Samoa as well as after that also as an Economics and also Commonwealth Secretariat based in London.So welcome
, and thank you for joining us today, Director General. Kia ora and I thanks really much, Richard, for that intro. It'' s a pleasure for me to get on this extremely essential discussion this mid-day. Thank you significantly, as well as welcome to everybody who is paying attention. Thanks. Great. Certainly, this is pre-recorded, yet I guess we will certainly be obtaining a great deal of comments afterwards, so I hope that you'' ll remain in touch with us for any type of more queries. But to start this conversation, I'' m wondering if you could establish some precedents for us regarding SPREP. What is SPREP as a company, and largely, what does its work focus on? I assume it'' s essential to place points in its type of broad context. SPREP represents the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Atmosphere Program. It is the local organization that'' s been mandated by our Pacific leaders to take the lead on environmental matters for the region.We ' re
an intergovernmental company, so we consist of regarding 26 member countries. That consists of regarding 21 Pacific Island countries and also territories. We have territories of the US and France that are component of the organization too, and also then the rest, which is five Metropolitan countries that include New Zealand, Australia, the UK, France, as well as the United States. It'' s a mix of the huge countries in the region and the little Pacific Island countries as well as the areas of the cosmopolitan countries.We have actually been around
for more than 40 years. Officially as an intergovernmental agency, we were developed in 1993 by treaty. It ' s a treaty-based organization. Prior to that, SPREP has actually run as a program of the Secretariat of the Pacific Neighborhood, or SPC. SPC has actually been around a lot, much longer. It was established up right after the Second Globe War in 1946 based out of Noumea, New Caledonia. The membership in between SPREP and also SPC is very similar with maybe one or 2 countries that are not component of both companies. Yet the remainder of the constitution of the participants are virtually the same. Prior to we came to be an independent company, we were a program of SPC for several years, and that was pre-1991. And also prior to it ended up being a program of the SPC, SPREP began as a reef monitoring program method back in the ' 70s. As well as it was a one-man band by a guy called (inaudible ). He ' s sometimes described as the godfather of SPREP since he was basically the person that began SPREP,
yet as a one-man person. However then, of training course, the problems connecting to environment increased in importance and also expanded, as well as it after that ended up being a program of SPC prior to it morphed into an independent company for the Pacific Area. Why does SPREP exist ? It existed due to the fact that of the velocity from a program to a worldwide, independent company was affected significantly by the nuclear examinations in the Pacific in the 1980s as well as 1990s particularly. Leaders really felt that we required a details firm charged with the required of promoting teamwork in regards to safeguarding and taking care of the environment, however additionally managing concerns that had serious effects on the setting, such as nuclear screening and so forth.We ' re based in Samoa. We are a company that is composed of various nationalities. We have Kiwis. We have Australians, Americans, and certainly, Pacific Island countries.
We'are a little organization of regarding 140 employees, yet our required is for the Pacific. That implies we operate right throughout the Pacific region in the locations of environment adjustment, biodiversity, island ecosystems, waste management, and also environmental tracking and administration. To ensure that in short is what SPREP and also a bit of history. I ' m the Supervisor General, as I said, but I ' m finishing my term in concerning four weeks’time– end of March. I ' ve gone to the helm of SPREP for around six years as Supervisor General. And before that, I was the Deputy Supervisor General. I ' ve been with SPREP for regarding 12 years. Nice. Thank you for that description. I was asking yourself if you could increase a bit about the required. I guess there is a great deal of social uproar concerning the state of environment change, particularly with the union of parties or Police officers that have ended up being more vital recently.And we certainly wish to take into consideration just how this is impacting the Pacific Islands. Currently, there are certainly a great deal of instances that centre about– state, for instance, we speak about 2015 where Vanuatu had to utilize 60%of its annual GDP just to fix from typhoon periods as well as such. I was questioning if you can give us a short review concerning the present state of the Pacific Islands around environment modification. I think the greatest one would certainly be sea degrees and implications of rising sea levels with islands like Tuvalu and also Fiji, et cetera. I assume the initial point you ' ve reached consider are the risks of climate change on the Pacific Island nations. I mean, water level surge is a very genuine threat to much of our Pacific Island nations. 4 out of the six least expensive countries in the globe are in the Pacific.You have Tuvalu. You have Kiribati. The majority of those nations ' highest possible point is no more than two meters high, so you can think of a tidal wave can completely ravage any of those small island nations in the Pacific. We saw a little bit of that in Tonga in January where some of the smaller islands within the Tongan team near Tongatapu as well as near the volcanic eruption were entirely eliminated by the tidal wave. And the fascinating thing is that the tidal wave wasn ' t brought on by an earthquake. It was caused by the volcanic eruption. The risks are real, as well as we ' re seeing all kinds of points occurring. There has actually been a number of relocations in several of the islands in the Pacific, like in Papua New Guinea, like in Vanuatu. We ' ve seen relocation inland also in numerous of our nations, consisting of Fiji, and also the Solomons. That has happened. The'risk of environment change is real. It ' s not an expected effect. We are seeing it each day of our lives. It ' s affecting our neighborhoods, affecting our resources. It ' s influencing our future.For us, it ' s an issue of survival. It ' s affecting food safety. We'' re seeing a greater a growing number of effect on our coral reefs, which is a really crucial environment in terms of our survival. Most of our individuals live around the coastal areas. We ' re seeing sea acidification, effect on reef. Much of our reef are not in a good condition at the moment.And after that, obviously, you relocate inland.
You take a look at what ' s taking place inland. There ' s water inundation of our water products because of water level climbing and additionally moving a growing number of inland. Therefore it ' s very tough for our people to leave their communities since of'the spiritual as well as cultural accessory to those lands and those areas and locations, since that ' s where they expanded up.
That ' s where their forefathers are hidden. Those areas are places of great social value, therefore it ' s extremely, very difficult.We have no selection. Therefore, we ' re seeing that. The scientific research is also telling us, Richard, that based upon the modelling that SPC has actually done, that the fisheries in terms of tuna is mosting likely to change in the next few years from the West to the East. And also several of the nations depend upon fisheries, especially tuna, for their nationwide earnings. Small countries like Kiribati represent around 40 %of their GDP from fisheries. Tuvalu, for example, FSM– a lot of these countries generate nationwide income of a huge proportion of that', regarding 30% or 40%, from fisheries. If the tuna is shifting to the West, then that ' s going to have a significant influence on the economic situations and, of program, their food safety and also survival and also so forth. So it is actually an issue of survival economically and also literally, mentally– you call it. It ' s affecting our life in every element of the Pacific neighborhoods. Thanks for that. I simply also wished to touch on something that you stated previously, which was regarding moving. One more term for this is absolutely what we call environment refugees.In terms of forced moving as well as devastation to islands, what would be the assumption for things like land governance ? You additionally touched on their heritage– spiritual and also belonging as well, genealogical land. Is there any type of method to represent that too or to prevent that kind of catastrophe? It ' s a really hard problem, Richard. I imply, in some cases, we have no selection but to transfer from one island to higher ground, high volcanic islands. That has currently occurred. We ' re seeing that in PNG. SPREP did assist with one moving of an island, a low lying atoll which had an area, to a greater island in 2004, 2005. We ' re seeing it in the Solomons. I imply, it ' s not an issue of choice.We have no selection yet to move to greater ground since otherwise, our really existence is endangered. The importance of land to us– I ' ve already mentioned that. Culturally, emotionally, so forth– there ' s no alternative to land. But what can we do? If the water is coming in, we ' ve obtained to relocate to greater land. We have no selection. It ' s not simply moving from island to island. Even the higher volcanic islands or the greater islands are experiencing inland forced movement. However you increase the concern of sovereignty etc. And the important things is that for the small low-lying atolls, the influence is incredible due to the fact that land produces your special economic zones.If you ' ve obtained no land, after that theoretically, you ' ve shed your EEZ. That ' s an issue of lawful point of view currently. So, if your island, if it ' s a low-lying atoll and also it ' s submerged by water due to a sea degree increase, what is the status of your island? Do you lose your island completely? Do you lose your special financial area? And after that there ' s problems like, do you lose your race? Who do you come to be? There are all these very difficult concerns. Does a country discontinue to be a nation? Does a nation discontinue to lose its sovereignty if there ' s no land? Due to the fact that legitimately, land generates sovereignty, so you ' ve got to have land. All these extremely challenging problems come up if there ' s no land. The'concern of environment refugees — well, however, the Evacuee Convention doesn ' t define refugees to consist of climate refugees. That ' s the problem. As well as I can comprehend the trouble that many nations have with that since that means that some are a bit reluctant to absorb climate refugees because they may have their very own issues in terms of land area as well as so forth.We ' re seeing that with the recurring problem of evacuees in Europe and the Middle East, with thousands and also countless evacuees moving from the Middle East to Europe, and also within the Middle East itself'. That ' s a real issue. That entire Refugee Convention does not define evacuees to consist of environment evacuees. I recognize that the New Zealand government a couple of years earlier had actually checked out the issue of not always offering environment refugees standing', yet considering some means to fit several of the people from the Pacific Islands who were being endangered by sea degree rise. I indicate, the conversation has actually begun, and also it ' s been around for time. It ' s a significant legal problem. At the minute, there
' s no clear legal option to the problem of accommodating environment evacuees, so it ' s still a matter of discourse at the moment. Yet at the same time, islands are growing underwater as we speak.On that subject too, I would much like to ask, based on your competence in the location as well as with your company, is there a details timeline that we have prior to this takes place, prior to these issues of significant islands sinking, loss of sovereignty– before it becomes so broad range? That increases an entire series of dimensions, Richard. Now, allow me make a comment in the context of the UNFCCC COP26 discussions as well as discussion. SPREP has actually been associated with'every police given that the initial COP in 1991, and we ' ve gone to every COP because then. We ' ve participated in every COP. The issue for really trying ahead up with a date is this. Just for disagreement ' s benefit, we claim, OK– as well as we currently recognize from the science, Richard, that we ' ve got very little time.Time is very brief,
appropriate? However if we put a timeline to it, say, as an example, we claim, oh, 2025 is the point where we would claim as well as draw the line, that ' s when we ' re considering having to relocate people, that ' s mosting likely to have an effect on the settlements, right? What I suggest by that is that there are conversations on adjustment presently, so you adapt as a result of the effect of climate change. Now, there are nations that are still opposed to the entire conversations and also the influence of climate modification regardless of the science. As well as however, a lot of those nations that oppose the problem of environment modification as being a real problem are the big countries. Once you begin doing that, they ' ll after that say, well, what ' s the factor of reviewing adjustment if you individuals are going to go– I suggest, this is an unrefined means of placing it. If these small island nations are going to go under water, why are we discussing adjustment? It ' s a waste of money. You see what I indicate? It ' s a really delicate issue.We ' re not trying to place a timeline and also state, 2025, that ' s the end point. We ' ve reached ensure we move everyone. We ' re conscious the point that– particularly in the context of the arrangements. As soon as you start putting a timeline, then that is mosting likely to have a significant impact on the current settlements, and the big countries that are in charge of exhausts that are not extremely supportive at all times. There are some who are encouraging, but there ' s a big majority of'the big countries that are not supportive of adjustment and supplying accessibility to fund to adjust to the adverse effect. It ' s going to be very difficult for us as a region to negotiate since they ' ll just state, well, pay attention. You ' ve given on your own a timeline.
In'5 years, the majority of your islands are going to go under water. What ' s the point of'discussing billions of dollars to offer adjustment assistance to you people if you ' re mosting likely to go under water? Why put on ' t we check out another thing? So there is that issue when you associate it to the police settlements. However let me claim this. We have got a really brief duration of time left, Richard. The focus of the climate change convention, the UNFCCC, is mitigation.That ' s the core of the trouble. We have actually obtained to lower exhausts. And also in fact, the large countries have actually got to be enthusiastic. They have not been really enthusiastic with what they call the NDCs, nationally figured out contributions. Essentially, an additional word for their plans to reduce their discharges. And also'so, for us, we have an extremely tiny window of chance to attempt and stay on par with the 1.5 levels path. At the moment, the information that we have based upon what the worldwide community have actually supplied for the NDCs is that we ' re around 2.3, 2.5 levels increase already.So we have a significant issue with the time, and also time is really, really short. The science is extremely clear about that. We ' ve reached act currently. But if we begin putting a timeline stating, OK, 2025 is the endpoint, that is mosting likely to change the whole nature of the negotiations today. That ' s a trouble politically. The Pacific are really mindful of
that'. We simply recognize that we have a really small window of opportunity. And also we ' re stating to the worldwide area, specifically the big countries, we ' ve reached quit this retoric. We ' ve reached quit making these promises and also statements. We ' ve obtained to see some urgent, strong activity, practical action, done on the ground to try and also maintain us on the 1.5 degrees path. Thank you for bringing that up also. I guess that will certainly be the following topic that I would like to have a discussion with you. You pointed out that SPREP has been component of the Union of Celebrations or police officer considering that the
very first one.Could you give us some context regarding the purpose of POLICE OFFICER? I presume in terms of general culture, we just believe concerning points like the Paris Accords or big decisions, and we ' re not great covering some of the a lot more reliable manner ins which we ' re taking on climate adjustment in terms of what is actually being done and the details pledges that appeared to never be followed up. A core example of this is that leading up to one of the most recent COP26, it was well understood that the Pacific Islands contribute much less than 1%of global exhausts'. And also yet the biggest factors are places like China and also India were absent during the promises to decrease gas discharges by 2040, 2050, and after that came back with their resolutions of intending for 2070, which is way beyond the margin of what COP26 had to do with. Could you tell us a little concerning what is being done specifically in the islands based on what COP26 has pledged to do? Yeah. I think there were in fact 2 inquiries that you raised.You asked, what is police? Lots of people wear ' t find out about police. Why is it vital, and why is the area associated with that? Why is SPREP associated with that? The second inquiry that associates with all these declarations as well as pledges made by the huge countries and also the effect of that by not caring with'those promises on the Pacific. The initial point I such as to make is that climate adjustment is an international problem. It ' s not just a national issue, it is a worldwide issue. What individuals perform in one part of the world– we have seen, and the scientific research has shown– it will influence various other people who are not accountable for it. To deal with the issue and to come up with options, you ' ve obtained to have an international approach. And also the international technique that was consented to by the worldwide neighborhood in 1990, ' 91, was to agree on a worldwide convention on climate adjustment. That ' s the United Nations framework for climate modification, the Convention on Climate Modification, UNFCCC. Under that structure, it has this seminar of the party system, which generally enables the international area who are celebrations to the Environment Adjustment
Convention ahead as well as fulfill every year to review, just how do we apply this convention in a manner that we ' re able to prevent the unfavorable influences of environment adjustment? They ' ve been having these COPs.They call it a conference of the COPs. POLICE 1, 2, 3– now we ' ve had COP26. We ' re currently onto COP27. The reason these Polices are there is to supply a formal structure to allow the whole of the global area ahead together to be able to review an international remedy since it ' s an international issue, and also that ' s why you have the COPs.Some COPs have been extra effective than others. The Paris Arrangement you pointed out was just one of the few even more favorable effective ones. A lot of the other Polices have actually been primarily– I ' m afraid to claim this, yet a talk fest. COP26 had some good accomplishments, yet there were also some disappointments. For instance, the $100 billion that was promised means back in Copenhagen– I think it'was either 2010 or 2009. $100 billion was vowed by the large nations by the year 2020. Well, that was two years earlier, as well as still $ 100 billion has not been attained. This is what I suggest. Also official decisions that have been made at the Polices have not been followed. That ' s a huge big, huge frustration. I indicate, the COP26 last year– I wear ' t know if you remember, at the end, India as well as China determined to downgrade the language in regards to securing a contract on coal, and also it was
a frustration. At the very end, they made a decision to'create this insane, insane language that basically thinned down as well as downgraded the intent of that agreement.There was some dissatisfactions, however there were some great success from the Glasgow police officer. We saw an agreement to reinforcing NDCs, as well as currently NDCs are being'evaluated yearly as opposed to every 5 years where you have the worldwide
supply take. We had a contract on the tripling of adjustment financing. We had the contract on the work program for the Paris Arrangement. The Paris Contract had a work strategy concurred in 2015, but we ' ve just settled on it in 2015 in terms of the details of it. It ' s taken all this moment. These are some accomplishments that I believe you can draw from COP26. However as I pointed out, there ' s also been frustrations. I can ' t recall a COP outcome where we ' ve had a 100 %achievement on all the problems since it entails settlements, this take and also give. Events attempt to fulfill each various other midway, so you obtain a remedy that has a bit of this which for every event yet doesn ' t truly quite come up with the option that they ' re desiring. That ' s the issue with the COP framework. It ' s a negotiated structure, and so there ' s no guarantee that you will certainly get what you want.And that ' s been the significant problem for us. The large countries, naturally, have impact and world power to wield at these COPs. I believe the Pacific in the last 5, six years have made remarkable invasions in terms of enhancing its voice, making its voice known, as well as fighting for what it thinks is vital. So that ' s where points remain in regards to the police officer– there ' s advantages and disadvantages concerning the procedure. That ' s what is required for a worldwide solution. I believe your 2nd inquiry was to do with all these pledges, and also I believe I mentioned this in among our earlier conversations. We wear ' t wish to listen to any more pledges. We wear ' t want to listen to any type of more statements due to the fact that numerous of these pledges are not straightened to existing policies or regulation that these huge nations are making.Secondly, as I stated, we ' ve got experience where they ' ve not in fact maintained their pledges, like the$100 billion by 2020. So, we wear ' t desire to listen to any type of even more of these promises.
Leaders really felt that we needed a certain agency charged with the required of advertising participation in terms of safeguarding and also taking care of the environment, but also dealing with concerns that had serious implications on the setting, such as nuclear screening and so forth.We ' re based in Samoa. We ' re seeing that in PNG. As well as then there ' s problems like, do you shed your race? The'problem of environment evacuees — well, however, the Refugee Convention doesn ' t specify evacuees to consist of climate refugees. That ' s where points are in terms of the Police officer– there ' s pros as well as cons regarding the process.We intend to see urgent action. We desire to see them do it quickly and take strong action. They require to be ambitious with their discharges. They'' re acting as if'we ' ve obtained one more 100 years to go. We don'' t have them. The price of not acting now is going to be a great deal greater than the expense of managing the trouble later on. The expense of managing it later on is going to be much, a lot extra expensive costly– not simply in terms of financing, in regards to the impact on the lives and also the source of incomes of people in their neighborhoods. Thank you for that.I hunch that leads us on to our next concern too. There has absolutely been an increase in the promises to fund. in all the current COPs, there'' s absolutely been an underwhelming sense of cash that'' s being sent through in terms of environment adjustment, advancement, reduction of waste and pollution. One of the important things that a great deal of the countries– when we'' re discussing this discussing way of thinking– is that there'' s always a financial influence on it also. Countries quiting coal production, whether it be overseas or locally, does influence the energy levels and the economy as well.Could you give us
kind of a rundown, due to your extensive background in business economics, about economic effects based upon environment adjustment? Yeah. I can speak about a couple of examples. Take China. I mean, China is now the greatest emitter, right? China most likely has one of the most coal-fired terminals. But the irony of that is that China is additionally raising their initiatives in regards to renewable resource. You have a strange scenario where the greatest emitter on the planet is not reducing on coal-fired terminals. Yet at the same time, it'' s raising its sustainable energy consumption in terms of solar and hydro as well as so forth. Now as to why that'' s happening, I imply, you can speculate on that particular. China has the largest population in the globe– 1.2, 1.3 billion people. As well as it has a big economic situation, so I mean it'' s attempting to do both. Maybe. I don'' t understand'. That ' s what ' s happening. A lot of nations are currently moving into renewable power. The costs of solar panels is going down, but maybe not as low-cost– possibly not affordable sufficient for the smaller nations. It is absolutely relocating in the right direction.We ' d like
to see that change from fossil gas to sustainable energy proceed to increase, however take place in such a size so that the change from fossil gas to sustainable power will bring concerning a makeover on a international range that will certainly change points. Currently, there are still a lot of coal-fired power terminals in India as well as in China as well as also a few of the Western nations. It'' s not simply India and also China. There'' s some coal power plant in several of the Western countries. There ' s still a lot more work than needs to be done. And also as I claimed, we have a small home window of chance, and the shift to renewable resource– I recognize the economic disagreements that have been made by several of these big nations. The cost on the economy in regards to moving is enormous.It suggests to have to re-train individuals in various capabilities and skills to straighten themselves to shift to a low carbon economy kind thing. Financial prices for them are high. I suggest, of program, there'' s always mosting likely to be financial price. Yet as I said in the past, if you wear'' t do it now, the financial expense for in the future is going to be probably triple if not quadruple in the future. Therefore I assume it'' s a bit brief viewed to say, well, the economic prices are high. No, you ' ve got to look beyond them now. You'' ve obtained to take a look at the next five years, next ten years, where are you mosting likely to be? Where are we going to be as an international neighborhood? I believe it'' s vital to have that long term point of view immediate, but also medium-long term perspective.You require to pay the
expenses now. Otherwise, the prices you'' re mosting likely to have to pay 5, 10'years from now, it ' s mosting likely to be– I wear ' t understand. It ' s going to be substantial. Some countries are simply mosting likely to remain in a setting where they ' re not mosting likely to have the ability to do it. So we ' re running against time, which ' s the concern that I have. For us, it ' s an issue of survival. It ' s not changing our economies. The area produces 0.03 %of the worldwide discharges– really, very small. However we'' re currently leading by means of instance. Most of our countries have roadmaps to reach 100% carbon neutral, which means a full shift to our sustainable power by 2024, '' 25. Some are practically there. Chef Islands is nearly 100%. Tokelau is 100%. There is a major, major change transformation occurring in the Pacific region, yet we really hope that the rest of the world will do similarly due to the fact that our survival goes to risk. . With that as well, one of the best questions would be– since SPREP does compose sort of a whole lot of consultatory panels, and they do sort of assistance in creating regulation– what would be the very best step for all nations? Not simply the Pacific Islands who, I now understand, have such an excellent roadway map.But what
would be the wonderful equalizer in making certain that all countries are, in a method, making a dedication towards lower carbon emissions? As I stated, they'' ve reached have a lasting point of view of the problem. If you wear ' t have a lasting point of view of the problem, you'' re only mosting likely to simply be concentrated on currently, which'' s the trouble. Politics enters play. Federal governments wish to remain in power, so they will have policies that will guarantee that people are still used in the coal market therefore forth.I mean, this is the fact. Politics dictate the plans of a few of these nations, as well as so it'' s difficult for them since leading and also first, they'' re considering their political future, not the survival of the worldwide community. Which'' s the issue. However as I said, they ' ve reached be take and brave on board the economic costs of shifting to a carbon neutral globe. And after that you pay less as you proceed. Certainly, there'' s always a cost. the thing is that the longer– they ' ve been dragging their feet. The longer they drag their feet, the much more that develop is going to cost them in the future. There are aspects that, I assume, act as a restriction on the huge countries. I discussed politics. I discussed the voter constituency etc. Of course, they'' re reasoning of jobs in the brief term, however they'' re not assuming of work in the lengthy term, and also they'' re not believing of survival.This is a matter
of survival. I mean, what else do you intend to recognize? In the last twelve month, we ' ve seen flooding taking place almost everywhere– in China, in Europe, also in the States, bushfires everywhere. I imply, what else do you require? It ' s right before them. It surprises me that they simply remain to– it ' s like the Titanic. It'' s sinking, as well as they'' re still playing music. It ' s like Nero. Rome is melting as well as still fiddling around. Sorry, however that'' s just exactly how I such as to describe the existing mindset to the problem at the moment– very short sighted. We'' re putting economic important more vital than the lives as well as the survival of people, as well as however, that needs to alter. So, unless there'' s a coming together of comprehending on that problem that this is greater than just the economic situation, this is about us having a future in the following 5, 10, 20, 30 years– unless that takes place, it'' s mosting likely to be extremely, extremely difficult. Thank you for that, Kosi Latu, and also thanks for joining us today. Would certainly there be any type of last thoughts or perceptions that you would like to share with us? Yeah.We simply had last week a Pacific state blog post COP26 testimonial. The job continues, Richard. Each week, we'' re meeting with authorities. I'' ve got a conference of the heads of local companies on Friday. We will be talking about that. It never ever stops. As well as it never ever quits for us in the Pacific. Due to the fact that as I stated, the underlying issue for us is survival. We'' ve reached continue battling. We can'' t stop even if the international area, or parts of the international community, are not listening.We can ' t.
We ' ve obtained to maintain fighting the excellent battle and maintain seeking what we believe is necessary for the whole globe. Our job doesn'' t surface after the Police officers. There'' s always the follow up problems, as well as there are lots of, several adhere to up problems from COP26. In regards to Glasgow, there'' s a Glasgow structure that we need to consider in regards to comply with up. There'' s a great deal of issues that also right currently our teams and authorities are checking out in terms of preparing for COP27 in Egypt.So, the work continues. We don ' t recognize what else that we need to inform the global community in order to change their minds. We simply really hope that good sense will prevail. If they ' re not paying attention to the scientific research, and the science is claiming we need to act now and act quickly, then we ' re really hoping and also hoping that the common feeling will certainly prevail.Thank you for that. I presume a whole lot of the discussion that we ' ve had today has definitely been a little little a doom as well as gloom because the stakes are so high. Whatever feels so immediate and so vital. I ' m thinking, just based on the work that you do, do you still have a confident view as well as have a great deal of hope that the worldwide neighborhood will still congregate to make changes? As I claimed, it ' s not every one of the international neighborhood. There ' s some truly, truly committed countries. The UK has been a superb companion for the Pacific'region. They got to out to us, and we had routine discussions in the evening as well as throughout the day for months leading up to COP26. They headed out of their method to accommodate the Pacific, and also they gave us the space to be able to speak to the presidency. Which ' s something that hardly occurs. Egypt is the brand-new presidency for COP27. Currently of course, the emphasis is mosting likely to get on Africa, so we put on ' t recognize whether we will certainly have that exact same degree of attention offered to Pacific state ' s issues. Therefore it actually depends that ' s leading.Some nations are a lot more supportive people as an area. Some are extra concentrated on their own local and also national concerns. It ' s a really complex problem. There are some really, really excellent countries that are leading by example in terms of policy as well as action on the ground,'and also they are they are ones that we ' re partnering with. We ' ve obtained to companion with similar nations, and also you have no selection. And so we ' re hoping that a union of similar nations that are really knowledgeable about our concerns and also are intending to line up with us will boost and will certainly expand. And ideally, we ' ll have a system where we can agree as well as just move on with each other. At the minute, we ' re sort of moving ahead, however there are little bits that are dragging their feet, and there are others that are not moving in any way. And also then there ' s those that are relocating forward.We ' ve got to get on'the exact same– vocal singing from the same hymn sheet, as it were, in order to have that development that ' s needed for us. The New Zealand'government– in the last number of weeks', New Zealand made a pledge in 2014 of 1.3 billion environment change funds. And what I recognize at this point is that New Zealand is devoted to 50% of that fund for the Pacific, and SPREP is in their sights.So, we ' re having that discussion, and also we ' re really hoping that climate change fund that New Zealand has revealed last year will truly make an impact in terms of much of the things that
we'' ve been advocating for. And New Zealand has been a fantastic fan of SPREP. We ' ve functioned extremely closely in regards to bringing the area with each other to give area at the POLICE. And I wanted'to recognize that due to the fact that nothing else nation has actually done that for the Pacific region. I understand that now, others are wanting to come on board like Australia and also wanting to promote that. It ' s good. There ' s some very favorable things that are occurring, and also we wished to acknowledge all the participant countries, yet also New Zealand for offering that support to SPREP. We ' re'anticipating that, to more conversations on just how SPREP can play a really essential role in regards to that climate adjustment fund New Zealand had revealed last year.Thank you. We thanks for your time today, Supervisor General. We do hope that you maximize your last four weeks, as well as we do wish that the customers who are
seeing this and taking a look at this can please assistance the job that is being done to support the Pacific neighborhood. As you all understand, this series was based on a cooperation that we ' ve had not just with SPREP, however additionally with the British High Payment based upon the Difficulty in Heaven exhibition that we had currently, which brought those to light.
That ' s what ' s occurring. we ' re running versus time, and that ' s the concern that I have. Unless there'' s a coming with each other of understanding on that concern that this is even more than just the economic situation, this is about us having a future in the following 5, 10, 20, 30 years– unless that happens, it'' s going to be really, very challenging. Currently of program, the focus is going to be on Africa, so we wear ' t understand whether we will have that very same degree of interest given to Pacific state ' s concerns. We ' ve obtained to partner with like-minded countries, as well as you have no selection.