Pacific Islands Forum chair and and Tonga Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku calls for COP 29 to deliver a meaningful outcome for Small Island Developing States. 13 November 2024 Photo: X / @ForumSEC
Pacific Islands Forum chair and Tonga's Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni has urged leaders' from small island nations at the United Nations climate change meeting to "not be disheartened," despite the "disappointing outcomes of UNFCCC Conferences in the past".
Hu'akavameiliku made the comments on Wednesday while speaking at the COP 29 Leaders' Summit of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on Climate Change in Baku, Azerbaijan, where UN member states are meeting for the 29th session of the Conference of Parties (COP29).
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He told that SIDS leaders it was important to discuss "ambitious and meaningful climate action" at the summit.
"We must move forward together in a way that benefits all our member states," he said.
The Papua New Guinea government had decided not to attend this year's COP meeting in protest, saying it was making a stand for small islands nations.
"We will no longer tolerate empty promises and inaction, while our people suffer the devastating consequences of climate change," PNG's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said.
Hu'akavameiliku noted that PNG, a Forum member, "made the decision not to attend COP29, not because they do not recognise climate change as a critical issue, but as a protest against the inaction they observe at the global level."
He said the new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance should prioritise keeping the global temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius.
"There will be late nights ahead, and not everything will go according to plan. Please do not be disheartened. It is your passion and commitment that give us all hope," he said.
"Despite our minimal contribution to climate change, we remain deeply committed to ensuring that it does not become a matter of survival for anyone."