Islands want climate action to ‘rebuild trust’, says former Tuvalu PM

Australia has the chance to significantly ‘rebuild trust’ with the ­Pacific, but it must act quickly on its climate ambitions to do that, says former Tuvalu PM Enele Sopoaga.

Former Tuvalu prime minister Enele Sopoaga. Picture: AAP

Australia has the chance to significantly “rebuild trust” with the ­Pacific, which has been damaged ever since Peter Dutton made comments about water lapping at the door of Pacific nations, but it must act quickly on its climate ambitions to do that, the former prime minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sopo­aga, says.

He said Labor’s 2030 emission reduction target of 43 per cent must be a “floor” not a ceiling to cutting emissions.

The comments come ahead of Anthony Albanese travelling to the Pacific Island Forum next week, where he will meet leaders from numerous island nations to discuss issues such as climate change and security in the region.

In a report by the Climate Council released on Friday, Mr Sopoaga and several other present and former leaders said Australia needed to take “more urgent ­action” on climate change.

“We emphasise that working together in driving global climate action is key to Pacific security,” the group, which included the former leaders of the Marshall Islands, Palau and Kiribati, said.

“We are in a fight for survival. Our security and our future are at stake.”

The Climate Council report recommended the Labor government “go harder and faster” on the climate crisis, and consider aiming for a 2030 emission reduction target of up to 75 per cent.

The Prime Minister and Climate Minister Chris Bowen in June made a formal pledge to the UN to cut emissions by 43 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030, signalling they would seek to legislate the target when parliament resumed.

The Greens and the teal independents called for a more ambitious target of between 50 to 75 per cent, indicating they may withhold support for Labor’s bill. Mr Albanese made clear he would not negotiate on the target, and did not need legislation to pursue it.

The Climate Council report said for it to earn back trust in the Pacific, Australia would need to show countries “it is serious about climate action, both by cutting emissions at home and working to enable greater global cuts in emissions this decade” by helping fin­ance the climate efforts of regions like the Pacific.

The report said Pacific Island countries “remained adamant that climate change is their No 1 ­ security concern”. Mr Sopoaga said the Albanese government needed to “catch up” on climate action after the lack of ambition under Scott Morrison.