Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter:

“Labor won the last Federal election on a promise of delivering the urgent, decisive climate action Australians want and deserve. Minister King’s announcement today is not only a betrayal of that commitment, it is a step closer to a more unsafe future for us all. This is no better than a smoker saying they are giving up, but in reality just swapping one brand of cigarettes for another.

“Minister King’s so-called strategy might as well have been written by the fossil fuel lobby; it is full of measures to ease the way for new gas, and conveniently light on measures to protect the threatened species that will be harmed in the process. It reads like a blank cheque for the industry to drill as they please, no matter the cost to our communities, and our climate.

“At a time when the science is crystal clear that any new fossil fuels are incompatible with a safe future, and global leaders—including Australia—have agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, this government is flogging fossil fuel furphies like “green gas” instead of proven and affordable renewable energy solutions. 

“Minister King’s reckless strategy is completely at odds with the Labor government’s progress towards its own Net Zero Emissions targets. It will deliver profits for gas exporters in the short term while saddling Australians with worsening extreme weather, more costly energy, redundant gas infrastructure and a less competitive economy. 

“This government must act in the best interest of the Australian people. For starters, we know that Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will soon decide whether to let Woodside develop the most polluting parts of the Burrup Hub—Browse and the Northwest Shelf extension. We call on Minister Plibersek not to approve these proposals.

“The light on the hill cannot be powered by gas. Minister King is wrong on the science, doing wrong to the people of Australia, and is undermining the Labor government’s standing, at home and abroad. 

“The Australian people are watching closely, as are our Pacific family. We urge  Ministers Plibersek, Bowen and King to ensure that this government’s legacy is not broken promises; but rather, a safe and thriving future for us all.”

Comments attributable to Shiva Gounden, Head of Pacific at Greenpeace Australia Pacific:

“For our people in the Pacific, today’s news is a dagger in the back. At the COP28 summit, Minister Bowen referred to the Pacific as ‘our brothers and sisters’. But to truly be a family, you need to stop making the same mistakes again and again. What the Pacific needs right now is a stop to all expansion of fossil fuels – that means gas as well.”

“While Minister King courts Japanese investment, Minister Bowen will need to meet Pacific Island communities face-to-face at future COP meetings: will he stand by and allow this to happen? This Government knows that Australia’s fraught relationship with the Pacific relies on real climate action, not rhetoric.

“If the Australian government is serious about supporting its Pacific vuvale, it must uphold its commitment made at COP28 in Dubai to transition away from all fossil fuels. You can’t transition away by opening new fossil projects. It makes no sense.”

You’ll find a copy of Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s own submission to the Future Gas Strategy (November 2023) here.

—ENDS—

For more information or to arrange an interview:

• With David Ritter, please contact Vai Shah on 0452 290 082 (Sydney)

• General enquiries: Lisa Wills on 0456 206 021 (Melbourne)

Noqu Mata Vuvale. I don’t say this lightly. 

Noqu mata vuvale has a very special meaning in my Fijian language. It means you have opened the gates and entered our loving home and there is a reason why we have kept this special place for you. You are family.

As I sit down to write this reflective blog in the form of a personal letter, I have contemplated deeply on the remarkable journey we’ve embarked on. My heart swells with pride, love and gratitude for each and every one of you who has stood by our side in this fight for climate justice. Our journey to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been one of resilience, determination, persistence and unwavering solidarity. And an incredible amount of hard work.

It needed a family, a global Vuvale.

How did it all start?

It all began with a small group of young law students in the Pacific now known as the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change who were fueled by a deep sense of duty to our people and our planet. Together with the Vanuatu government and a handful of civil society organizations, including Greenpeace, we dared to dream of holding the world’s largest polluters accountable for the devastating impacts of climate change on our beloved Pacific Islands and all nations being in vulnerable situations because of the climate emergency across the world.

We knew that our voices alone would not be enough to bring about the change we so desperately needed. So, we mobilised. We mobilised our communities, our youth, our elders, and our allies across the globe. From the bustling streets of New York to the remote atolls of Tuvalu, from the mountains of Papua New Guinea to the chaotic UNFCCC conferences, we marched hand in hand – chanting, singing, negotiating, and shouting for climate action. 

We sailed our Vaka (voyaging vessel) and canoes, guided by the inspiring leadership of the young students, to the United Nations General Assembly, carrying with us the hopes and dreams of millions who could not be there in person but were with us in deep mana (spirit). 

Together, we turned our Pacific Vaka into a symbol of hope, unity, and resilience just like our ancestors did when they sailed across continents and the expansive Pacific Ocean to build a future for the generations that will carry their legacy. A future grounded in the principles of love for the Vanua (land)  and the deepest connection to the Moana (ocean). 

We showed the world that the fight against climate change knows no boundaries and that we are all in this together, sailing towards a shared future of sustainability and harmony with nature. What started as a campaign of the Pacific is now a truly global movement.

For us, this was not just about our Pacific Vuvale. 

It was about the youth who did not have the opportunity to connect to their ancestral land because the spiritual soil had eroded away. 

It was about the families who have to pick the remaining bones of their loved ones from the shore as rising seas have uprooted graves and wiped away their dignified resting place. 

It was about the pregnant woman who travelled over 10 km to fetch water for her family as her nearby water sources were polluted by extractive industries and in the process losing both her life and her child. 

It was about the inspiring senior women who have taken their government to the European Court of Human Rights as heat waves have threatened their right to life.

This fight was for all of us.

Unveiling the Power of Evidence to Achieve Climate Justice

But our journey did not end there. We knew that to truly make a difference, we needed more than just marches and speeches. We needed evidence. Evidence that would speak louder than words and compel even the most powerful among us to listen.

So, we embarked on a mission to collect evidence from the most remote corners of our planet. Evidence that would move you to tears, to anger, to admiration, to love. All types of emotions are experienced through the most resilient human beings on earth. We listened to their stories of loss and resilience, of struggle and hope. And we knew that we could not rest until their stories were heard.

We gathered evidence to provide to States – all of the countries that were a part of this climate fight –  to help with their submissions as well as to create our own Greenpeace submission. Our submission included powerful stories from the Pacific, Philippines, Norway, Mexico, Southern Africa, Switzerland and the Caribbean and in due time we will share this with you as the lived realities of these powerful individuals and communities cannot live only in a submission, but must be seen by the entire world.

Australia Steps Up – Heading to the ICJ

And now, after months of tireless advocacy and relentless pressure on world governments, we have achieved a monumental victory. The Australian Government, led by Minister Penny Wong, has committed to submitting to the ICJ. This is a significant step forward, and we applaud Minister Wong and her government for taking this bold and necessary action for our global Vuvale.

But our work is far from over. We must ensure that our voices continue to be heard loud and clear. The Australian government has shown no indication of what is in the submission. We kindly ask the Australian Government to provide full transparency of the contents of their submission and to acknowledge their historical responsibilities and contributions to the climate crisis. We urge them to work closely, in genuine solidarity and kinship with the Pacific governments throughout this process, ensuring that our voices are at the forefront of the conversation. For this advisory opinion to truly protect the human rights of the current and future generations, Australia must be a true ally and a genuine supporter.

What’s next?

In the next phase, June 2024, States will have an opportunity to respond to other States’ submissions and you will find noticeable naysayers. But we will not be deterred. We will keep fighting. The oral hearings at the end of the year provide an opportunity to centre the voices of our communities on the ground, and we will not miss that opportunity.

As we await the next steps in this historic journey, let us remember the resilience and determination that brought us to this point. Let us take some time to acknowledge the incredible leadership of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, the Vanuatu Government and the proud people of the Pacific. Let us continue to stand together, united in our commitment to protecting our planet and securing a sustainable future for generations to come.

It is time for our Vaka (vessel) to enter the gates of the world’s highest court and break down the walls of legal obstructions with love, compassion, resilience and the powerful energy of our people.

Thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of this extraordinary journey so far. And we cannot embark on the next phase without you. You will always have a cherished place on the Pacific Vaka. Together, we will win.

Loloma Levu (With the deepest love).

“The draft text is simply not good enough. World leaders can not say that they are listening to the science and committed to keeping 1.5 alive, but failing to commit to any firm action towards fossil fuel phase out.

“At COP28, we witness the grotesque theatre of nations like Saudi Arabia and the US clinging to fossil fuel interests and suffocating global progress toward a crucial phaseout. The desperation of millions facing cyclones, sinking nations and relentless suffering is dismissed in favour of bolstering the already bloated profits of the coal, oil and gas industries. 

“Securing a fossil fuel phase out is the first, second and third priority for Pasifika people. You have people negotiating a tweak to a paragraph or a single word in a text when our islands are literally sinking.

“This process is about us — this is about our people, Pacific Islanders, having to negotiate about the survival of our islands, survival of our cultures and survival of our people and climate vulnerable people across the world. Polluters, including Australia, have a moral and ethical responsibility both historically and currently to pay for the climate destruction they have caused.

“As a Pacific islander, and on behalf of Pasifika people, we demand that world leaders at this COP prioritise people and put aside short term thinking. We demand a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.

“Yet, amidst this bleak backdrop, flames of hope flicker. We will not give up our pursuit of climate justice. Despite the odds stacked against us, we stand unwavering, continuing the battle for a safe and sustainable future. Every day our calls for justice grow louder.”

—ENDS—

“Greenpeace welcomes the announcement from COP28 that Australia has joined over 40 nations in signing the Clean Energy Transition Partnership — a crucial move towards phasing out fossil fuels for good and a massive step forward for Australia.

“This important agreement will help to shift billions of dollars out of polluting fossil fuels and catalyse finance for clean, renewable energy. It sends a strong signal that the Australian government is serious about rebuilding its reputation on the global stage and is ready to step up to show what true climate leadership in our region can look like.

“Now, this must translate into action at home. It’s time for Australia to turn the tap off on the billions of taxpayer dollars poured into the fossil fuel industry every year and to stop approving new fossil fuel projects — including Woodside’s Burrup Hub which alone would generate twelve times more emissions than Australia does in a year.

“As COP28 progresses, we must keep the human faces of climate change front of mind, from our Pacific neighbours being devastated by sea level rise and cyclones, to Australians facing another summer of deadly bushfires and extreme heat. We can not limit warming to 1.5 degrees unless we keep all fossil fuels in the ground.”

—ENDS—

Australia’s pact with Tuvalu to offer resettlement pathways to climate migrants from the low-lying archipelago sparked global headlines, but also raised many eyebrows as Australia continues to green-light new fossil fuels projects.

With the 28th United Nations Conference of the Parties, COP28, in Dubai mere weeks away, tensions are mounting over Australia’s continued expansion and subsidisation of the fossil fuel industry, and what that means for Australia’s ambitions to host a joint COP with the Pacific in 2026.

The Production Gap report released this week showed that we are drastically off course from limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, driven largely by expanding gas and oil production globally.

Greenpeace Pacific Advisor, Shiva Gounden, said that the modest commitments made by Prime Minister Albanese during the Forum fall short of expectations to address the accelerating climate destruction we’re seeing in real time.

“We’re underwhelmed and disappointed with the lack of ambition shown by the Australian government at this year’s Forum, which takes place against the backdrop of what has been confirmed as the hottest year on record.

“We saw a classic case of chequebook diplomacy in action, coupled with piecemeal announcements to distract from the most urgent issue — a commitment to stop approving new fossil fuels projects in Australia, something Pacific leaders and civil society have been crying out for in very clear terms.

“Australia is the third largest fossil fuel exporter in the world and makes an oversized contribution to global emissions. We are alarmingly off course from keeping warming within 1.5 degrees — a figure not just an aspiration, but a lifeline for our Pacific communities who are facing urgent threats to their livelihoods, their culture, their very existence.

“We want to see real climate action, not empty rhetoric and that means a firm commitment to stop all new fossil fuel approvals and subsidies — money which, rather than lining the coffers of polluting coal and gas corporations, could support Pacific nations to deal with climate impacts and to transition their economies.

“If the Australian government is serious about supporting its Pacific vuvale and being taken seriously on the international stage for a COP31 bid, it must demonstrate genuine commitment to re-align our emissions targets with a 1.5-degree pathway.

“On the road to COP28, Australia must centre Pacific demands on fossil fuels and climate finance. We look forward to seeing the final leaders’ communique and building on these commitments in Dubai later this month.”

Pacific Climate Action Network’s Regional Coordinator, Lagi Seru, said: 

“The Leaders’ decision to welcome the aspiration for a just and equitable transition to a fossil fuel-free Pacific, and the commitment made to transition away from coal, oil, and gas, without abatement loopholes and in line with the 1.5°C limit, is welcomed, but falls short of the ambition required to save our islands, peoples and communities from the unprecedented climate impacts. 

“Pacific leaders have missed an opportunity to demonstrate genuine commitment instead, opting for an ‘aspirational’ rhetoric. Furthermore, Australia’s newly signed pact with Tuvalu is a mere band-aid solution that in no way adequately addresses the fossil-fuelled climate crisis.

“Australia must understand that the only real solution to stop the destruction of Pacific homes is to stop the expansion of its fossil fuel industry, end all fossil fuel subsidies, and support the climate frontline countries and communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change.”

—ENDS—

It was March this year, during a United Nations General Assembly, that 132 countries voted “yes” for Pacific Climate Justice. 

Specifically, these countries passed a motion proposed by the Vanuatu government, calling on the International Court of Justice to deliver an advisory opinion that confirms the devastating impacts of climate change on human rights..

In doing so, the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion (or ICJ AO for short) would clarify the obligations owed by countries to protect the rights of both current  and future generations from climate change.

We know that strong and compelling evidence about the impacts that climate change is already having on communities across the world will play a key role in convincing the court to hand down a decisive and authoritative opinion. That’s why the Rainbow Warrior visited the Pacific earlier this year; to document the human rights impacts of climate change in this region. 

We sailed to Port Vila and Erromango in Vanuatu, then onwards to Tuvalu, followed by Suva, Kioa, and Rabi – all islands in Fiji. We were welcomed into the homes and hearts of countless people who most generously shared their experience of a changing climate and how it has  impacted on their human rights to their homes, their cultures, and their livelihoods. These stories will live on in our hearts, and amplify the strength of our upcoming submission to the International Court of Justice. Read on for some of these stories from the island of Pele – just one of the many places we visited whilst in the Pacific.

A farewell ceremony is a cultural protocol in the Pacific.

We walked with a local healer named Winnie, who recalled  the uses of the medicinal plants that have been lost due to climate change and shared the repercussions of this loss for her children when they fall ill.

We knelt with Sister Lizzie in a Pele graveyard and mourned after we learned that an additional 20 of the village’s ancestral graves had been swallowed by the sea since her last visit to the site which was a day before the twin cyclones Judy and Kevin hit the region in March this year.

Flora Vano, country manager for ActionAid Vanuatu has been helping communities face the dangers of a changing climate. She shared with us how when the twin cyclones came, communication with Erromango was down. Nobody answered her calls, leaving her to wonder if anyone on Erromango had survived at all. It was three days before Flora heard that there were no casualties, thanks to all the hard work that the women had done to fortify their communities beforehand. Watch her story in full with this video.

Women are not only disproportionately impacted by climate change, but are also often the first responders to climate disasters. Flora is advocating for the leadership of Indigenous women to be acknowledged as a powerful treasure in building climate resilience.

The ICJ AO’s potential to safeguard the human rights of frontline communities, current and future generations in the face of climate change, is why this work is of utmost importance to Greenpeace. Our mission to secure a strong Advisory Opinion is also something that we feel will strongly resonate with you, a legacy gift supporter, who has made a generous commitment to protect future generations through a gift in your Will.

“We cautiously welcome the announcement that the Australian government is listening to the vocal calls of Pacific nations and rejoining the Green Climate Fund — the primary fund globally for climate finance and a vital tool in supporting climate-impacted nations like the Pacific.

“It is the right decision. Pacific communities are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis as they experience more severe storms, sea level rise and loss of agricultural land. This has a profound impact on the culture, livelihoods and unique way of life of Pasifika people who hold a deep connection to the land and oceans.

“While the commitment to a ‘modest contribution’ is positive, the key demand we are consistently hearing from Pacific leaders is for no new fossil fuels. Contributing to the fund without stopping all new coal and gas projects is like showing up at a fire with a extinguisher in one hand and a flamethrower in the other.

“We urge the Australian government to go a step further and heed Pacific demands to end all new fossil fuels.”

—ENDS—

Greenpeace investigators used drones and satellite images to film and photograph Woodside dredging in the Dampier Archipelago, off the Pilbara coast in northern Western Australia. The area is a critical breeding habitat for sea turtles, including endangered hawksbill turtles and green turtles. Footage taken by Greenpeace shows turtle nests on Conzinc Island just metres from where Woodside is dredging.

Just last week the fossil fuel company’s controversial plan for seismic blasting in endangered whale habitat was approved by the offshore regulator NOPSEMA. It’s the first major environmental plan to be approved by the regulator since the Tiwi Islands Federal Court case earlier in the year.

Woodside plans to seismic blast for up to 80 days off the Pilbara coast to assess gas reserves for its Burrup Hub, which if it goes ahead will be Australia’s dirtiest fossil fuel project. 

Greenpeace has vowed to escalate pressure on the company.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific senior campaigner Richard George said that Woodside’s Burrup Hub is an ecological disaster and is already getting significant backlash from the community.

“Woodside’s Burrup Hub is a disaster for nature and the climate. We will be fighting it every step of the way and ensure the world is watching Woodside’s wanton destruction of our environment,” he said.

“Right now, Woodside is dredging the seafloor in the beautiful Dampier Archipelago, creating a plume of destruction so big it can be seen from space. Woodside’s dredging is disturbing fragile marine ecosystems and posing a direct threat to baby sea turtles. It’s an environmental disaster that should have never been allowed to go ahead.

“Woodside also has the green light to seismic blast in whale habitat, close to an endangered pygmy blue whale migration superhighway and UNESCO-protected Ningaloo Reef. Seismic blasting can deafen whales, who use their sonar to find food – so a deaf whale is a dead whale.

“You would think the awful pictures of pilot whales beaching in southern WA would have reminded Woodside how vulnerable whales are to changes in their environment.

“Woodside’s vision for the region includes running a pipeline right past diving paradise Rowley Shoals, and drilling all around Scott Reef, one of Australia’s most pristine coral reefs. All in order to export climate-wrecking gas that will bring us more bushfires, drought and floods.

“Australians want green jobs and healthy oceans, not Woodside’s dirty gas. Every day more and more people are taking action to stand up for our oceans and climate. Woodside’s greedy executives should brace for community outrage. We’re calling on Australia’s federal leaders and regulators to reject Woodside’s further plans and stop this dirty project in its tracks.

—ENDS—

Images and footage of Woodside’s dredging activity in Dampier Archipelago, activists on site and footage of humpback whales and turtles in the area can be found in the Greenpeace Media Library

Key facts about Woodside’s Burrup Hub pipeline

• The overall Scarborough pipeline would run approximately 435km from the Pluto LNG onshore gas processing plant to the offshore Scarborough gas field. About 400km of the pipeline is in Commonwealth waters. 
• The pipeline would run through Mermaid Sound in the Dampier Archipelago and Montebello Marine Park. Several of the islands in the Dampier Archipelago are nature reserves.
• The nearshore section of the pipeline (from the shore to about the 50km offshore mark) will be laid by first dredging a trench and dumping the dredged material at some specified nearby sites (the ‘spoil grounds’). The pipeline will be laid inside the trench. The trench is then backfilled using spoils from the trench or sand which will be dredged and transported from a nearby ‘borrow ground’.
• Up to 2.7 million cubic metres of material will be dredged out of the pipeline route in both state and commonwealth waters.
• Up to 2 million cubic metres of sand will be dredged and taken from the commonwealth borrow ground. The commonwealth borrow ground is an area of about 17km2 that is only 250m from the boundary of the Dampier Marine Park. 
• The state waters section of the pipeline is expected to take about 18 months in total to complete. The commonwealth waters section is expected to take about 24 months to complete. It is unclear if there will be overlaps in these timings.

Nature impacts

• Mermaid Sound is a critical nesting and internesting habitat for Green Turtles (Endangered) and Hawksbill Turtles (Critically Endangered), a mating, nesting and internesting habitat for Flatback Turtles (Data Deficient) and an internesting habitat for Loggerhead Turtles (Vulnerable). Note that these are the species status as per the IUCN Red List.
• Montebello Marine Park is an internesting habitat for Green Turtles, Flatback Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles and Loggerhead Turtles, which nest on nearby Montebello Islands. 
• According to Woodside, the pipeline is likely to affect nine species of whale, including pygmy blue whales, sei whales, fin whales, southern right whales, humpback whales and Antarctic minke whales. 
• According to Woodside, the pipeline is likely to affect whale sharks, grey nurse sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, white sharks, shortfin and longfin mako sharks, reef manta rays and giant manta rays, and various species of sawfish.  

From August 7-9, more than sixty civil society representatives from across the Pacific came together on the remote island of Kioa for a ‘talanoa’ or discussion as part of the next stage of the Kioa Climate Emergency Declaration.

Over two days, delegates discussed pressing climate issues facing Pacific communities, and progressing the design of a regional finance mechanism, the Kato Pacific Community Climate Fund.

Sepesa Rasili, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said the dialogue highlighted the urgent need for global and regional solutions to the climate crisis.

“Pacific Island nations have been leading the way on a range of climate issues, from the establishment of a Loss and Damage fund at COP27, to calls for a moratorium on Deep Sea Mining, and the historic Pacific-led campaign for an advisory opinion on the human rights impacts of climate change from the International Court of Justice,” she said.

“The Kato Pacific Community Climate Fund is yet another example of Pacific Island leadership and an illustration to the rest of the world of what’s possible when civil society organisations and governments work together with the collective goal of climate justice.

“We are humbled to have been included in this process and remain committed to working alongside our allies in the Pacific and amplifying the demands they have developed in recognition of the unique challenges that the region is facing.

“Greenpeace Australia Pacific will continue to escalate key demands within the Kioa Declaration in recognition of Australia’s position as a global laggard on climate and a major contributor to the climate crisis — that means no new coal, oil and gas approvals and no more fossil fuel subsidies.

“We also call on Minister Penny Wong to make the strongest possible submission to the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion.”

The residents of Kioa island are descendents of Vaitupu in Tuvalu who began migrating to the Fijian island in the 1940’s. They identify as Tuvaluan, and speak and practise the unique language and culture of Tuvalu. Kioa is considered an example of a successful model for future climate migration, one which preserves culture and human dignity.

In his opening address to the conference, Guest of Honour the Hon. Seve Paeniu, the Tuvalu Minister for Finance and Climate Change, said high emitting countries must act to protect Pacific nations from rising seas as a matter of moral principle.

“The Pacific island countries contribute the least to the cause of climate change, and yet we do not only suffer the most damage in terms of the impacts of climate change, but we have to consequently bear the heaviest price in terms of cost of adaptation and mitigation,” he said.

“It is within this context that this Kato conference held in Kioa is very timely and visionary.”

The Kato Fund is seen as a powerful vehicle to amplify the unique challenges and solutions small Pacific communities face, and an opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the region.

The Rainbow Warrior leaves Kioa today for Rabi Island to celebrate International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, before returning to Suva. The ship has been travelling across the Pacific since June, sailing around Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Fiji in solidarity with climate impacted communities and gathering testimonies of climate harm to present to the International Court of Justice.

—ENDS—

To arrange an interview please contact:

• Kate O’Callaghan in Fiji on +61 406 231 892 (WhatsApp/Signal) or kate.ocallaghan@greenpeace.org
• Kimberley Bernard in Australia on +61 407 581 404 (WhatsApp/Signal) or kbernard@greenpeace.org

From August 7-9, more than sixty civil society representatives from across the Pacific came together on the remote island of Kioa for a ‘talanoa’ or discussion as part of the next stage of the Kioa Climate Emergency Declaration.

Over two days, delegates discussed pressing climate issues facing Pacific communities, and progressing the design of a regional finance mechanism, the Kato Pacific Community Climate Fund.

Sepesa Rasili, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said the dialogue highlighted the urgent need for global and regional solutions to the climate crisis.

“Pacific Island nations have been leading the way on a range of climate issues, from the establishment of a Loss and Damage fund at COP27, to calls for a moratorium on Deep Sea Mining, and the historic Pacific-led campaign for an advisory opinion on the human rights impacts of climate change from the International Court of Justice,” he said.

“The Kato Pacific Community Climate Fund is yet another example of Pacific Island leadership and an illustration to the rest of the world of what’s possible when civil society organisations and governments work together with the collective goal of climate justice.

“We are humbled to have been included in this process and remain committed to working alongside our allies in the Pacific and amplifying the demands they have developed in recognition of the unique challenges that the region is facing.

“Greenpeace Australia Pacific will continue to escalate key demands within the Kioa Declaration in recognition of Australia’s position as a global laggard on climate and a major contributor to the climate crisis — that means no new coal, oil and gas approvals and no more fossil fuel subsidies.

“We also call on Minister Penny Wong to make the strongest possible submission to the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion.”

The residents of Kioa island are descendents of Vaitupu in Tuvalu who began migrating to the Fijian island in the 1940’s. They identify as Tuvaluan, and speak and practise the unique language and culture of Tuvalu. Kioa is considered an example of a successful model for future climate migration, one which preserves culture and human dignity.

In his opening address to the conference, Guest of Honour the Hon. Seve Paeniu, the Tuvalu Minister for Finance and Climate Change, said high emitting countries must act to protect Pacific nations from rising seas as a matter of moral principle.

“The Pacific island countries contribute the least to the cause of climate change, and yet we do not only suffer the most damage in terms of the impacts of climate change, but we have to consequently bear the heaviest price in terms of cost of adaptation and mitigation,” he said.

“It is within this context that this Kato conference held in Kioa is very timely and visionary.”

The Kato Fund is seen as a powerful vehicle to amplify the unique challenges and solutions small Pacific communities face, and an opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the region.

The Rainbow Warrior leaves Kioa today for Rabi Island to celebrate International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, before returning to Suva. The ship has been travelling across the Pacific since June, sailing around Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Fiji in solidarity with climate impacted communities and gathering testimonies of climate harm to present to the International Court of Justice.

For more information and a map of Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s Ship Tour: greenpeace.org.au/act/pacific-campaign

—ENDS—