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Rudd and Clark must act on climate displacement

Friends Of The Earth Press Release - August 17, 2008 (see open letter)

Over 100 representatives of non-government organisations from across the Asia-Pacific - including the main Pacific peak bodies and NGOs - have made an urgent call for Australian PM Kevin Rudd and NZ PM Helen Clark to do more to help the Pacific with climate change, in particular increased immigration and resettlement.

The groups, including church, environment, aid, union and community organisations, have released an Open Letter ahead of next Tuesday's Pacific Islands Leadership Forum to be held in Niue. Kevin Rudd and Helen Clark will also meet to discuss climate change on Monday.

The organisations warn that climate change is already hurting the Pacific and that large scale displacement of Pacific Islanders must be addressed.

The letter sets out a six point action plan including assistance for resettlement within the Pacific and an increase in permanent migration from the Pacific region to Australia and New Zealand. Australia will announce a guest worker program with the Pacific at the forum.

"The recently released Draft Report of the Garnaut Review warned that the world will see large numbers of climate change refugees, particularly in the Pacific”, Damien Lawson, Friends of the Earth Australia said.

"Low lying island nations such as Tuvalu and Kiribati are already facing rising seas, storms and king tides that are having a terrible impact. We could see sea level rises of several metres this century. For Tuvalu, which has an average height of less than two metres, that is a disaster."

"Professor Garnaut also said that there is an expectation by the international community and Pacific countries that Australia and New Zealand should provide assistance with this displacement."

"There needs to be substantial resources allocated to assist with resettlement within the Pacific, but central to any solution will also be increased migration to Australia and New Zealand."

"Plans for increased labor mobility such as guest worker programs are not enough. Permanent migration can build stability and resources that will assist with adaption and building resilience in the Pacific."

"The Pacific Island Leadership Forum is an opportunity to work with Pacific Island countries on a plan to assist with large scale displacement. Australia and New Zealand can not sit on its hands and wait for the disaster to come. Now is the time for action.”

Contact: Damien Lawson, National Climate Justice Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Australia: +61 419 253 342

Open letter

An Open letter to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and New Zealand-Aotearoa Prime Minister Helen Clark

Dear Prime Ministers,

Your action needed on climate change in the Pacific

We represent a range of communities and non-government organisations in the Asia-Pacific, Australia and New Zealand-Aotearoa. Without immediate action, hundreds of thousands of people will be displaced by climate change in the coming decades. Pacific Islanders are already affected, with their islands very vulnerable to sea level rises, storm surge and loss of food security and water supplies.

The Pacific Islands Forum next week is an opportunity to define a more concrete program of action to assist Pacific Islanders.

We welcome past acknowledgment of the problem the Pacific faces and expressions of a willingness to help, but now is the time for action.

Therefore we call on the Australian and New Zealand Governments to recognise the urgency of climate change and the particular threat it poses to the peoples of the Pacific.

The Australia and New Zealand governments must begin a real process of partnership with Pacific Island countries in finding ways to prepare for and assist with the resettlement of Pacific Island people who will be displaced by global warming.

In particular the follow actions must be taken:

Words are not enough and waiting for the catastrophic sea level rises is not acceptable. Australia and New Zealand have the responsibility and capacity to act now. They should begin to do so.

Anything less will be seen as a betrayal of the people most affected by climate change but least responsible for it.

Yours Sincerely

Signatories follow

Australia

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