PIANGO on Climate Change- Emele Duituturaga, and UN SecGen

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres  on his visit to Fiji says Fiji's voice on climate change is "loud and clear" and the world is starting to listen. His trip which also includes Tuvalu and Vanuatu  comes ahead of the Climate Action Summit that he plans to convene in September in New York City.

Secretariat Update #06/2019:                                                                     15/05/2019 Statement by the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Government Organisation (PANGO) Executive Dirfector Emele Duituturaga, at the Climate Action Pacific Partnership (CAPP) III   pn387 Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of the Fiji Islands Honourable President of the Republic of Palau Honourable Heads of States and Governments   Your Excellencies, Distinguished Representatives PIANGO - the Pacific Islands Associations of Non-Governmental Organisations is pleased, on behalf of Pacific NGOs and Civil Society to reaffirm and embrace the principles of Talanoa reflected in the spirit of collaboration and inclusivity that underlies the strength of this Partnership. Celebrating our diversity, while reaffirming our collective resolve to work together as a Pacific family leaving no family behind. We commend the continuation of CAPP and the recognition that Pacific Non State Actors and our constituencies, are vital to mitigation, adaptation and resilient climate actions. We too call for access to and support from climate financing. We remain committed to the Suva Declaration, the Paris Agreement and resultant Partnerships for Global Action; and call for intensifying global action in limiting global warming to less than 1.5 degree. We amplify the call for climate justice and the ‘polluters pay’ principle to ensure that carbon majors and responsible parties pay for the economic and non-economic losses and damages discussed here. We reiterate the calls to ensure a people centered, human rights based approach to development just transition, ensuring elements of protection, gender inclusive decision making taking into account the differing needs of persons of all gender, ages, disabilities and backgrounds. We commend to you the critical role of youth as having the greatest stake in our collective future, our young Pacific warriors and climate change campaigners for their mobilization in the region and across the world. There is a need to better harness their energy, innovation and boldness in intergenerational climate action. We recognise that while our cultures and identity face an existential threat from climate change effects, we can also draw on our indigenous knowledge and time tested traditions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and strengthen our resilience. Together, we must strengthen and advance the resilience of our people and support community led action as espoused under the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific. We urge for the engagement of all partners in addressing climate-driven and disaster-induced forced displacement, planned relocation, safe and orderly internal and external migration, strengthening community inter-understanding as alluded to in the discussions. Threatened by the impacts of climate change, we agree that we must collectively work together to reverse the decline in ocean health. For us as Pacific people, the ocean is our lifeblood, and it must be sustained, conserved and governed for our children and future generations. In respect to Blue Pacific narrative espoused by our leaders, we applaud your collective effort as Pacific Leaders to place oceans on the global agenda alongside climate to frame the discourse of Agenda 2030. We propose a stronger expression of the nexus between climate, ocean, human insecurity, human indignity and human rights as front center of the Boe Deceleration and the upcoming August Pacific Forum Leaders meeting in Tuvalu. As you go forth to meet the UN Secretary General tomorrow, at the September Special Climate Summit and the December Blue COP, know that we Pacific Civil Society stand with you. Be Bold!  Be Courageous! The Beacon of Hope in this climate crisis. I Thank You.