Pacific Press Release – Cook Islands Government

We, the Pacific Legislators for Population and Governance, meeting in Rarotonga; Are deeply concerned with the threat of climate change to the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being, human rights and security of our people and our countriesThe Rarotonga Climate Change Declaration

We, the Pacific Legislators for Population and Governance, meeting in Rarotonga;

Are deeply concerned with the threat of climate change to the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being, human rights and security of our people and our countries

Deeply concerned that climate change impacts, coupled with the vulnerability of Pacific Island countries, will undermine our sustainable development efforts and threaten our future survival,

Acknowledging that women are affected differently by climate change as they make up a large share of the agricultural workforce, and tend to have access to fewer income earning opportunities. Recognizing that adaptation is an additional burden on Pacific Island countries, and that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as particularly vulnerable countries will suffer disproportionately, Acknowledging the findings of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that warming of the climate system is unequivocal, that delay in reducing global emissions will result in more severe climate change impacts and hinder effective adaptation responses, and that more recent peer-reviewed scientific findings confirm the urgency of taking action

Deeply disappointed at the lack of progress and political will shown to date at the international level to commit to reaching a legally- binding agreement in Copenhagen in December 2009, call for renewed ambition and leadership to be shown by developed countries based on the polluter pays principle and historical responsibilities

Noting that despite accounting for less than 0.03% of global emissions Pacific Island Countries have set ambitious mitigation, renewable energy and renewable energy efficiency targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions

Recalling the Barbados Programme of Action and the Mauritius Strategy for the further implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Islands Developing States

Recalling the Pacific Islands Framework for Adaptation on Climate Change (PIFACC, 2006-2015)

Recalling the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Niue Declaration on Climate Change (2008) and Cairns Call to Action (2009)

Recalling the UN General Assembly Resolution A/Res/63/281 ‘Climate change and its possible security implications’

Reaffirming the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Climate Change Declaration of September 2009

HEREBY:

Call on the international community to commit to a legally-binding agreement at Copenhagen which safeguards the very survival of Pacific Island Countries through urgent, ambitious and decisive action to reduce global emissions and provides financing, technology and capacity building, for adapting to the climate change impacts that we are already facing and will face in the future, compensation for unavoidable loss and damage and support for nationally appropriate mitigation actions.

Reflecting the calls of the AOSIS as outlined in their Climate Change Declaration of September 2009, PLPG calls for parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to;

Adopt a package of actions, now, up to and beyond 2012 that provides for: i. Long-term stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at well below 350ppm CO2eq, levels; ii. Global average surface temperature increases to be limited to well below 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels; iii. Global greenhouse gas emissions to peak by 2015 and decline thereafter; iv. Reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions by more than 85% below 1990 levels by 2050 v. Annex I parties to the UNFCCC to reduce their collective GHG emissions by more than 45% below 1990 levels by 2020, and more than 95% below 1990 levels by 2050, given their historical responsibility; vi. A significant deviation from business as usual by developing countries through measurable, reportable and verifiable nationally appropriate mitigation actions in the context of sustainable development, supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity-building, in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner. vii. Mobilisation of enhanced action on adaptation and mitigation at all levels that responds to the adverse effects of climate change now and in the future, ranging from planning to implementation, and addressing loss and damage, including through financing, technology, capacity building, and compensation for loss and damage. viii. New, additional, predictable, transparent and adequate sources of grant-based financing to fully meet the adaptation needs of vulnerable Pacific Island Countries, and ensure that for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) the access is timely, direct, prioritized and simplified.

Call on international partners to support regional and national efforts to address climate change in the Pacific by committing funding to

(a) support the effective representation of men, women and youth from Pacific Island countries at international negotiations and meetings (b) support national institutional arrangements for adaptation and mitigation planning and implementation, including improved data collection, modelling incorporating population dynamics, early warning systems, the protection of agricultural, forestry, marine and fishery resources and improvement of food security, protection of biodiversity, improvement of health surveillance and response systems, improvement of water resource and use management, climate-proofing infrastructure and tourism development, promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency. (c) Development of an international mechanism to address loss and damage including risk management, insurance and compensation for unavoidable impacts of climate change (d) Support climate change education , training and public awareness campaigns

Commit, through our Framework for Action on Climate Change, to addressing climate change urgently at the international level to protect the human rights of our people as safeguard our countries and their unique cultures and traditions for current and future generations.

ENDS

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