CANBERRA — Unwilling to budge on coal and emissions reduction targets during the Pacific Islands Forum in August, Australia has blocked efforts by small island states to get Pacific-wide consensus on its declaration for stronger action on climate change.
Strategies to secure the future of the Pacific was the focus of the Pacific Islands Forum communique, released to the public days after a fiery meeting of Pacific leaders saw declarations on climate being a sticking point in discussions last month.
The meeting saw late Tongan Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva being reportedly brought to tears. Fijian President Frank Bainimarama echoed his counterparts’ disappointment when he said, “I came into this week with high hopes for finding common ground with all of our regional neighbors on climate change.”