Australian initiative to declare marine protected areas welcomed by Nauru

By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS Editor in Rio de Janeiro

19 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro - Australia’s announcement to create the world's largest network of marine protected areas, covering 1.3 million square kilometres of the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea marine reserve, has been welcomed by Nauru.

And, Nauru’s Margo Deiye, speaking at a side event at the Rio+20 conference here in Rio de Janeiro said an initiative like this by the Julia Gillard government is encouraging for Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) who are championing the concept of a ‘blue economy.’

“As you know, the people of the Pacific are closely connected to the oceans. About half the citizens of the Pacific Islands live in coastal areas. Papua New Guinea and the Solomon islands are part of the Coral Triangle, the global center of coral reef diversity with more species of fish and corals than anywhere else on the planet.

“For our countries, healthy coral reefs and marine ecosystems are the foundation of coastal communities’ livelihoods, our culture, critical to local food security, and, in many cases, major contributors to our national economies through fishing and tourism revenues.

Healthy reefs, Deiye said are essential for marine biodiversity and for protecting coastal communities and infrastructure from storms which are ever more intense and damaging as the oceans warm and sea level rises.

Citizens of Pacific SIDS will suffer in terms of both food, economic and physical security as a result of coral reef degradation, undermining our countries’ opportunities and aspirations for sustainable development.

Ms Deiye said ocean acidification is a fundamental threat - alongside climate change and sea level rise - to our communities.

Pacific SIDS have championed proposals to build marine resilience to ocean acidification.

That is why the Pacific is well represented at the Rio+20 to seek political will to implement what has already been agreed in relation to marine and coastal resources.

“We need stronger action now to restore fish stocks, so that they are healthier and more resilient as the seas acidify.

“We need real action on the ground and on the seas. Rio must just be the beginning. Commitments made here must be implemented on the ground. And we need commitments of capacity development and support so that developing countries can build resilient marine ecosystems.

Pacific waters sustaining local livelihoods

The Parties to the Nauru Agreement have adopted measure to limit tuna catches, through a “vessel day scheme” to reduce fishing pressure, and ban on high seas fishing, among other measures. These are big commitment by small countries to restoring tuna stocks – as a continued source of income for sustainable development.

“If small countries like the Pacific SIDS that are so highly dependent on fisheries income can take these measures, we would like to see other countries commit to greater efforts to reduce fishing pressure and restore stocks.” said Ms Deiye.

Agenda 21, penned here 20 years ago, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation both laid the way forward – but implementation has been sorely lacking, she said.

"Pacific Climate Futures" launched in Durban

Durban, South Africa, 6 December - The UN Climate Change Conference in South Africa was the backdrop for the launch of two new landmark resources that have a crucial role for the Pacific region.

The report Climate Change in the Pacific: Scientific Assessment and New Research as well as the web-based projections tool, Pacific Climate Futures were the focus of a side event featuring the Hon. Greg Combet AM MP, the Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency as well as the Vice Minister for Forestry and Climate Change from Papua New Guinea, Hon. Ronald Asik.

It was a full house for the special event that was a partnership between the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Pacific Climate Change Science Program.

Arrival of Minister of Forestry and Climate Change from Papua New Guinea



“As a minister, I am aware how important it is that scientific research is relevant to policy and provides useful information to assist decision-making,” presented Hon. Greg Combat during his opening statement.

“I am confident that this new research and accompanying information tools will be invaluable resources for climate scientists, communities and decision-makers in the Pacific to inform vulnerability analysis and priority setting and build resilience to future climate change.”

The Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency pesents keynote speech

The newly launched reports can be found at http://www.pacificclimatefutures.net/

“The importance of having a high credibility of science in our reports is clear, this is prominent in these newly launched materials.” said the Director-General of SPREP, Mr. David Sheppard.

“The role of partnerships and cooperation is significant to help us provide such important materials to help guide our climate change work in the region. We are appreciative of our partnerships that helped bring together and produce such extensive scientific reports.”

Full house at the side event

Australia has committed $328 million over five years to the Australian International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative with a key focus on least developed countries and Small Island Developing States.

Also featured during the side event were Scott Power, the Senior Principal Research Scientist and Research Manager of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology as well as several Pacific island experts who have used the reports to help guide their work; Mr. Salesa Kaniaha the Manager of Climate Services of the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazard Department and Ms Rossylynn Pulehetoa-Mitiepo, Coordinator of the Niue Climate Change Project, Department of Meteorology and Climate Change.

We’ll be bringing you more news on their presentations over the coming week.

There are two volumes to the Climate Change in the Pacific: Scientific Assessment and New Research. Volume 1 is a Regional Overview which provides an analysis of large-scale climate phenomena such as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, seasonal variability and past climate trends and further develops regional climate change projections.

Mixed responses to PNG’s call for voting at the Cancun climate change negotiations

By Makereta Komai, Climate Pasifika Media in Cancun, Mexico

30 November, Cancun, Mexico - Even though voting is an available option under Article 42 of the Draft Rules of Procedure for the Conference of the Parties (COP), it has never been used in the proceedings of the COP meetings, which is now in its 16th session.

“Voting in Article 42 remains in bracket and has never been applied, like the other rules of procedure:, said Espen Ronneberg, climate change adviser of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

The draft rules were proposed for adoption at COP 1 in 1995, but a deadlock remained until COP 2 in 1996, when it was agreed that the rules would be applied with the exception of the paragraph relating to procedures for voting by Parties. For 16 years, all of the COP decisions have been by consensus.

The draft rules states that voting will only be considered if Parties have exhausted all means of trying to reach an agreement through consensus.

“At that time, developed countries wanted a double voting system, where on simple issues you would only need a majority of the Parties. However, on what was described as more substantive issues, such as voting on issues like financing, there was a demand that a double majority would be required, based on the Party's financial contribution to the process. This was not accepted by developing countries and was put on hold”, said Ronneberg.

The UNFCCC Secretariat administering the COP processes has been, as Ambassador Colin Beck of the Solomon Islands put it, ‘simply applying the rules of procedure rather than adopting it.’

Ambassador Beck preferred to be cautious on PNG’s call for the activation of Article 42 of the draft rules of procedures.

“Depending on which side of the fence you are, I feel that consensus is still the best way to reach an agreement at the climate change negotiations.

“We did it with the UN Climate Change Convention, the Kyoto Protocol, the Nairobi Plan of Action and other climate change related agreements. And I am confident that we will, through consensus be able to find common ground here in Cancun”, said Ambassador Beck, who has been one of the Pacific’s leading negotiators on climate change for many years.

Whether it’s the right time to bring it to the COP process, the Solomon Islands diplomat did not want to put a time frame to it except to say that “negotiations here in Cancun need all the Parties to be flexible, with a common goal of achieving an agreement”.

“With climate change, we are dealing with the need for a commitment for global action, which means there must be consensus. I’d commend to Parties the issue of voting can be brought back to COP once a legally binding agreement is in place, said Ambassador Beck.

Not totally ruling out the need to consider the option of voting, the Solomon Islands diplomat said there may be a need for voting, which can work – both in favour and against the interests of small island nations, who don’t have greater number in the negotiations process.

His comments were supported by Ronneberg, who believes that frustration amongst Parties has led to the move to push Article 42 to the fore.

“Whether it’s the right time or not, that will be decided by the Parties, but we have to consider the possibility that it will not always be in our favour for Small Island States to put things to a vote. We may run the risk of being out voted in some cases as well.

“It’s good on one level, but we have also seen that it can be used purely for tactical reasons. That is when we run into this problem, which is frustrating the process.”

In June this year, at one of the negotiating sessions in Bonn, the four countries were able to hold up negotiations despite the overwhelming majority of more than 100 Parties in favour of the Alliance of Small Island States proposal for a technical paper on the social and economic impacts of the mitigation scenarios of a global temperature commitment of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The debate on whether to introduce voting or not has been referred to a consultation convened by the President of COP16, Patricia Espinosa. She is expected to report back to the plenary session later in the week.

“It looks likely that the issue with be ‘held off until the next session,” said Ronneberg.

Values of Mexican goddess to inspire climate change negotiators – Figueres

By Makereta Komai, Climate Pasifika Media Team
29 NOVEMBER 2010 CANCUN ---- Reason and creativity, values of the Mayan goddess Ixchel, is what UN climate chief hopes will inspire climate negotiators to reach an ‘acceptable’ deal in Cancun in the coming 12 days.

Addressing the formal opening session at the Moon Palace Tuesday, Christiana Figueres urged negotiators to be guided by reason and compromise as they weave the new climate change tapestry the whole globe is waiting for.

“Weaving this tapestry is urgent to allow the poorest nations who need a predictable and sufficient help to deal with the climate crisis they are already experiencing.

“I urge you to resolve these issues with priority so that a balanced outcome in Cancun can be achieved. A tapestry with holes will not work and the holes can only be filled in through compromise, said Ms Figueres.

She was quick to admit however that progress will not happen if unresolved issues from both the two negotiating tracks – Long term Co-operative Action (LCA) and the Kyoto Protocol – are not resolved.

For LCA – negotiators need to formalise mitigation proposals put forward by Parties in 2010, mobilise long-term finance and create a new fund with the accompanying accountability of its delivery and response measures.

Similarly under the Kyoto Protocol, Parties need to clarify the future of the Protocol and avoid a gap after the first commitment period.

The first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012, after which Parties need to negotiate a new international framework.

Speaking at the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on KP, Tuvalu’s lead negotiator, Ian Fry pleaded with Parties to make a decisive decision on the future of KP.

“Tuvalu is disappointed that two emerging two positions on KP – one group wants progress while the other wants incremental progress.

“Small vulnerable states don’t want KP to be held hostage in the long term co-operative action (LCA) process.

“It’s either we give life to the Kyoto Protocol or take the life of people in vulnerable countries, said Fry, to the applause of hundreds of delegates at the opening session of AWG-KP Monday.

Earlier, at the LCA session, Papua New Guinea stirred debate when its chief negotiator, Kevin Conrad suggested that the Conference of the Parties resort to its Rule 42 to allow for a transparent process of negotiation.

Konrad referred to last year’s Copenhagen Accord as an example of the failure of the UNFCCC process. After two weeks of negotiations, more than 20 world leaders put together the Copenhagen Accord, which did not reflect most of the issues agreed to in the negotiations.

“Consensus leads to settling issues at the lowest common denominator.

Konrad said PNG wants more transparency and participatory in the process and suggested the use of rule 42 to resolve issues in the negotiation process.

Rule 42 of the Draft procedures of the Conference of the Parties (COP) states that Parties shall make every effort to reach an agreement on matters of substance by consensus. If efforts to reach a consensus have been exhausted and no agreement is reached, the decision shall, as a last resort be taken by a two third majority vote.

COP16 chair and Mexico’s secretary for foreign affairs, Patricia Espinosa in response referred PNG’s concern to further consultation before she reports back to the LCA plenary.

Similar concerns of a’ new text’ introduced by the host government have emerged, in the event of an impasse and no agreement is reached.

In Copenhagen, the Danish chair introduced a new negotiating text to the surprise of the Parties.

A Pacific delegate who did not want to be named said whatever the outcome of Cancun will be, it should be seen as being Party-driven and not forced on them by a selected group of countries in collusion with the chair. This, he said was the failure of Cancun.

“COP15 wasn’t a political failure, but the failure of the UNFCCC process, said PNG’s Kevin Conrad.

As negotiators get down to the nuts and bolts of the negotiating text, the city of Cancun is on security lock down.

Mexican police and troops, supported by navy patrol boats have cordoned off areas around the Moon Palace hotel, a beachfront complex where the 12 day talks are being held.

The Cancun talks, often referred to as the Conference of the Parties 16th Session (COP16) are seen in many quarters as the last chance for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to restore faith in a process that has divided developed and developing countries.

It comes a year after the failure of the Copenhagen talks where leaders were supposed to deliver a post-2012 pact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and deliver billions in aid to poor countries.

Instead, it gave birth to a face-saving compromise, the Copenhagen Accord, which was crafted by more than 20 world leaders in the final hour of the 2009 summit.

In the UNFCCC, meanwhile, negotiations have switched from a big vision to securing visible progress in small, practical steps.

"Perhaps the most important thing we learnt from Copenhagen is that there is no miraculous agreement which is going to resolve the problem of climate change," said Figueres.

"Quite simply, it (the one-off agreement) does not exist."

Campaign groups say Cancun must deliver given the visible record year of extreme weather.

“Negotiators should begin UN climate change talks with far more urgency and resolve following a year of weather related disasters, record temperatures, flooding and rising sea levels, said Oxfam.

In the first nine months of 2010, more than 20,000 people have died due to weather related disasters, more than twice recorded for 2009, according to a report released by Oxfam today.

“This year has seen massive suffering and loss due to extreme weather disaster. This is likely to get worse as climate change tightens its grip. The human impacts of climate change in 2010 send a powerful reminder why progress in Cancun is more urgent than ever, said Tim Gore, author of the Oxfam report, titled “More than ever – climate talks that work for those that need them most.”

Even if many politicians seem to have tiptoed away from climate change as an issue, the public should not, urged the TckTckTck Campaign.

"There is a huge global movement of people demanding a low-carbon future and sending a clear signal that politicians have a mandate to take the bold steps needed to tackle climate change," said Paul Horsman, head of the TckTckTck Campaign.