<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/08/pacific-islands-forum-australia-under-pressure-to-rein-in-fossil-fuel-subsidies>
"Australia is facing fresh pressure to rein in fossil fuel subsidies, with new
figures showing just a fraction of that spending could fully fund the shift to
clean energy in eight Pacific island countries.
The climate crisis is one of the biggest issues on the agenda at the Pacific
Islands Forum’s top political gathering this week, with Vanuatu demanding
“radical” action to end the world’s fossil fuel addiction.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, arrived in the Cook Islands on Tuesday
local time (Wednesday Australian time) and acknowledged the climate crisis was
“certainly felt most acutely in island states”.
In a report published to coincide with the talks, campaigners highlight how
Pacific island countries are on the frontline of the climate crisis despite
being responsible for just 0.23% of annual global emissions.
By contrast, the world’s 15 largest-emitting nations – led by China, the US and
India with Australia in 15th place – are collectively responsible for 71.88% of
annual emissions.
The report was commissioned by the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
Initiative, a group that is campaigning to end new development of fossil fuels
and phase out existing production.
Island countries are still heavily dependent on imports of diesel fuel for use
in generators, says the report titled
Ki Mua: Towards a Just Transition for
the Pacific.
It suggests that a mix of utility-scale and decentralised renewables, dominated
by solar PV and wind installations, would provide the region with “significant
opportunities”.
These gains would include reducing pollution and improving public health while
ending reliance on fossil fuel imports. It suggests developed countries like
Australia have a responsibility to help.
“In the past year, Australia has handed out $US7bn ($AU11 bn) to the fossil
fuel industry,” said Auimatagi Joe Moeono-Kolio, an adviser to the Fossil Fuel
Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.
“That’s seven times the amount of money it would take to fund a renewable
energy transition for eight Pacific countries.”"
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
