Rudd announces Australia's commitment to Pacific Island assistance

Addressing the 40th annual Pacific Islands Forum held in Cairns this past Wednesday, Prime Minister Rudd offered his commitment to helping the small island nations take measures to adapt to rising sea levels caused by climate change.

Leaders of the seven smallest Pacific island nations said that deep emission cuts are essential in order to protect the nations from the severe affects of rising sea levels on their coastlines, including the possibility of their nations’ destruction.

Prior to Rudd’s announcement, the seven small nations adopted the position of the global Association of Small Island States that asks that developed countries reduce their emissions by 45% by the year 2020 and 85% by the year 2050.

Edward Natapei, Vanuatu Prime Minister, stated that rising sea levels have already required the relocation of one of the nation’s coastal villages and that coconut trees are now under water in some areas along the coast. The islands of Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands have coral atolls that are no more than 3 meters above sea level, making them particularly susceptible to devastation due to sea level changes.

The small Pacific Island nations face an uphill battle in Copenhagen because they have little leverage or clout yet are the most vulnerable to the affects of global warming.

“Our first responsibility is to get a good outcome in Copenhagen because those in the front line of the impact of climate change are within our own region and we have a responsibility to act,” said the Prime Minister.

Rudd’s announcement comes a week before his climate legislation goes to the Senate for approval. The Prime Minister’s proposed legislation has struggled in recent months to garner support.


Paige Andrews is a regular contributor to Change2. She holds an MSc in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics and has studied the role of politics and markets within environmental policy and governance. Paige’s interests lay in sustainability, renewable energy and corporate social responsibility. She is currently traveling the world.