Pacific Island nations’ call to action must be heeded

Rather than “concentrate on the core task of shoring up support for the AUKUS security agreement” and make Pacific nations “less susceptible to influence from Beijing”, the Pacific Island nations themselves are asking Australia to put climate action at the top of the agenda (Editorial, 9/11).

It will not be words which will convince them that their pleas are being listened to, it will be actions. Those Pacific Island countries, who have contributed least to global heating but see the consequences “lapping at their door”, will not be impressed by promises, commitments or targets: they want real action from all countries.

In November 2022, Vanuatu drafted a UN resolution calling on the International Court of Justice to give an opinion on “the rights of present and future generations to be protected from climate change”. Yes, the PM would “appear hypocritical” to Pacific Island nations if he wants to be friends while proceeding with new coal and gas exploration.

Fiona Colin, Malvern East, Vic

Albanese’s responsibility to the Pacific Nations as regards climate policy, is of paramount importance (“Albanese has Pacific job to do but it is not to close coal,” 9/11).

Climate change poses a very real security threat to Australia’s regional security. Former defence experts have warned the government about the future risks to our food supply and infrastructure.

Pacific Islanders are at the coalface of these changes, with sea-level rises already affecting their homes and livelihoods. Yet they have a very small carbon footprint.

Fossil fuel technologies are fast becoming outmoded. There are plenty of opportunities for Australia to invest in clean ­energy projects, both in exports and domestically. This is the path we need to take, if we are serious about the security of our Pacific neighbours.

Anne O’Hara, Wanniassa, ACT

If the PM can convince the Pacific Nation’s leaders that his government has the interest of their people at heart without appearing hypocritical, his next act would be to walk across Lake Burley Griffin in sandals and a toga. Ironically, their interests and the interests of the Australian people are the same: a stable and liveable environment. As long as his government subsidies fossil fuel extraction and approves more fields, he is not going to achieve that.

John Mosig, Kew, Vic

The Albanese government has a “Mission Impossible” task, solving our economic challenges while quietening increasingly robust concerns from our Pacific Islands neighbours about our climate change policies.

I’m convinced that the call from a group of former Pacific leaders for Australia to commit to “a fossil fuel phase-out in the near future” is eminently sensible.

There’s no way Australia will do its bit for urgent climate change targets when we’re the world’s third largest fossil fuel exporter with 116 new coal and gas projects in the pipeline.

Some Pacific Islands are sinking to dangerously low levels and are in grave danger of disappearing in the near future.

I fully endorse the predicament that they are screaming about and we need to accelerate our timid climate change policies.

Kevin Burke, Sandringham, Vic

Our Prime Minister told Tuvalu’s PM that the Australian government, “understood that his country was “on the frontline of climate change”. I wonder if he thought to mention that, as a government website advises, “encouraging petroleum exploration is a high priority for the Australian government”. Or that our Environment Minister refuses to consider climate consequences when new coal mines are approved? “Understanding” is easy but offering genuine assistance seems to be much, much harder.

Lesley Walker, Northcote, Vic

If emissions of carbon dioxide have an influence on climate change, then the leaders of the ­Pacific Islands should be looking not to Australia, but to their other countries such as China to reduce its overwhelming contribution to the global atmosphere.

Yes, it’s true that all Australians are guilty of exhaling carbon dioxide and a few of our industries are still operating. But if Australia stopped emitting completely it is doubtful it would make a measurable difference to global CO2­ ­levels.

Case Smit, Noosaville, Qld