Australia’s standing in Pacific has plummeted because of our climate change failure.

Scott Morrison flew to the Solomon Islands last weekend to “show our Pacific step-up in action” but this policy will fail if his government doesn’t take meaningful action on climate change. A successful step-up must include stopping our own pollution, defending the sovereignty of our friends in the Pacific and offering a safety net to those who may need it.

‘It is only recently that we have realised our political
de-prioritisation of the Pacific islands and their needs
has advanced China’s entrance to our region.’

Over the past five years Australia’s standing in the Pacific has declined dramatically because of an unwillingness to take strong action on climate change. It’s not as if the Pacific hasn’t been clear. From female fishers to the Fijian prime minister, to remote communities in the Solomon Islands, climate change is a top-order issue. It’s about the very survival of people, nations and cultures. If action isn’t taken, in 40 years there are people in Pacific island states who may have nowhere to go.

Read the opinion piece on The Guardian by Dermot O’Gorman - “Australia’s standing in Pacific has plummeted because of our climate change failure."