Before welcoming the island leaders, gathered under the umbrella of the 18-nation Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) on Monday, Biden announced US diplomatic recognition of two more Pacific islands nations, the Cook Islands and Niue.

"The United States is committed to ensuring an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, prosperous, and secure. We're committed to working with all the nations around this table to achieve that goal," Biden said at the welcoming ceremony.

He pledged to work with Congress to provide $US200 million ($NZ335 million) more in funding for projects in the region aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change, spurring economic growth, countering illegal fishing and improving public health, according to a document issued after a working lunch with the group.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, the island forum's chair, called the summit "an opportunity ... to develop our partnerships for prosperity."

He urged Washington "to actively engage at the highest level" in the 52nd PIF leaders meeting he would host in a few weeks to endorse its 2050 Strategy. Continue reading

Brown commented during his address at the 79th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok.

"The Blue Pacific has been grappling with catastrophic human-induced climate events for far too long so, as we seek to make an assessment today, the first step should always be to take a long, hard look at the state of wellbeing of our most vulnerable," Brown told the audience.

In his speech, Brown referred to the 2015 Paris Agreement as a pivotal plan designed to secure the survival of our planet.

However, he lamented the sluggish and unsatisfactory progress made since then, stating, "The path to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees is eluding our grasp. The need to build resilience into our strategies and responsive structures is of utmost importance."

Limited access to finance

As the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Brown also highlighted the significant obstacle many countries face in combating climate change: limited access to finance.

Brown argued that access to financial resources is crucial for accelerating greater ambition to reduce carbon emissions, mitigate the impacts of climate change and promote sustainable development.

"For many of us here today, access to finance remains a critical barrier to our endeavours to accelerate climate action," he stressed.

Brown further underscored that the Pacific's response to climate change is anchored in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, developed during the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in Tuvalu in 2019. This long-term vision for the region aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Despite having one of the smallest carbon footprints globally, Pacific nations suffer the most from the effects of climate change due to their inherent vulnerabilities. Brown emphasised the urgent need for action and international cooperation to address this disparity.

The ESCAP, which commenced on Monday, will continue until Friday, serving as a platform for discussions and initiatives to address the Asia-Pacific region's social and economic challenges.

Sources

RNZ Pacific

Cook Island News