Pacific island groups fighting for climate action have described the US withdrawal from the Paris agreement as a grave moral injustice.
A man wearing a mask portraying newly elected US president-elect Donald Trump poses with a sign during a demonstration against Trump's vow to withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Accord outside the US Embassy in central London in November 18, 2016. Photo: Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP
The Pacific Islands Climate Action Network said Donald Trump's decision signalled his support for the fossil fuel industry which directly threatened people living in the Pacific islands.
The grouping called for Australia to immediately reaffirm its commitments around the deal which for the first time united most of the world in a single agreement to mitigate climate change.
Donald Trump has confirmed he will withdraw the US from the Paris climate change agreement. Photo: AFP
The Co-ordinator of the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network Krishneil Narayan said not even Mr Trump could derail action on climate change.
"Certainly we are really angered by the announcement. The United States is one of the largest carbon polluting countries. We here in the Pacific island countries are really going to double our action to help with ensuring that the world is going to support the Paris agreement and implement climate action," said Krishneil Narayan.
Mr Narayan said Fiji's presidency of UN climate change talks this year was a great opportunity to ensure this.