Solomon Islands PM satisfied with PSIDS-US meeting on Climate change

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is satisfied with the outcome of the Friday’s meeting between Leaders of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the United States.

 The leaders discussed the issue of Climate Change at the margins of the 70th UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

Prime Minister Sogavare said the meeting concluded with a resolution by the Pacific SIDS Leaders to speak with one firm voice on climate change as agreed upon in the Suva Declaration on Climate Change.

The Suva Declaration emanated from the recent Pacific Islands Development Forum held in Suva, Fiji.

"We-leaders of the PSIDS resolved to take a united position on this pressing issue of climate change in our dialogue with the United States last night. This position is in line with the Suva Declaration on climate change.

"The Suva Declaration on Climate Change calls for the reduction of the earth's temperature to 1.5 degree Celsius based on scientific evidence that any dramatic warming of the earth's temperature would further increase sea-level rise and brittle the reef system, leaving the PSIDS in a helpless situation.

"The developed countries certainly know that science proves right the concerns of the PSIDS about sea-level rise but are not acting upon these concerns due to their economic interests.

The Prime Minister added that the call is a tough one because the big economic powers already have their position on the Suva Declaration and that position is that they do not agree with the wordings of this charter as it mentions payment of compensation for damages caused by climate change.

"This situation calls on us as leaders of the PSIDS to be strategic in our approach in order to allow for ongoing dialogue with the industrialized countries to face up to the challenge of climate change.

The largest producers of CO2 emissions worldwide in 2014, based on their share of global CO2 emissions are as follows:

•          China- 23.43 percent

•          US-14.69 percent

•          India-5.7 percent

•          Russian Federation - 4.8 percent 

•          Brazil - 4.17 percent

•          Japan - 3.61 percent

•          Indonesia - 2.31 percent

•          Germany - 2.3 percent

•          Korea - 1.75 percent

•          Canada - 1.57 percent 

•          Iran - 1.57 percent