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https://theconversation.com/pacific-islands-are-back-on-the-map-and-climate-action-is-not-negotiable-for-would-be-allies-187086>
"This year’s Pacific Islands Forum marked the beginning of a more dangerous era
as Pacific leaders tried to find common responses to both the climate crisis
and sharpening geostrategic competition.
There was unprecedented interest in this year’s forum, held in Fiji’s capital
Suva. I should know. I lived in Suva for much of my adult life, which included
several years teaching at the University of the South Pacific. I was also in
town for last week’s summit.
The annual gathering of island leaders and their counterparts from Australia
and New Zealand is typically the one time of year when there’s international
focus on the region. But this year’s forum was something else. A huge media
pack descended, to the bemusement of many Fijians who felt the meeting was
divorced from their daily challenges.
Many journalists were there to cover the growing competition between China and
the United States, and attempts by Australia’s new government to shore up its
influence. Pacific leaders tried to highlight their own priorities, especially
climate change.
After the summit, it’s clear these things are connected. Pacific countries know
they’re in a fight for survival, and any country that wants their support must
show it’s serious about tackling climate change."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
