Climate change action needed in Pacific

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters addresses yesterday’s conference. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters addresses yesterday’s conference. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
Immediate action was needed on climate change in the Pacific, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said yesterday.

Mr Peters was commenting during a question and answer session after a wide-ranging address which opened the University of Otago's latest annual Foreign Policy School.

The 54th annual school is being held at St Margaret's College, Dunedin, and focuses on "Economic policy in the 21st century, the challenges and opportunities".

He acknowledged that New Zealand had recently increased its global climate finance commitment, from $200million to $300million.

Some Pacific nations, such as Kiribati, were facing the damaging effects of climate change and action was needed.

Asked about New Zealand's Pacific leadership, Mr Peters said New Zealand had made its own Pacific Reset, and Australia had also showed a "refreshed", stronger commitment to the region.

This approach had also been positive for the transtasman neighbours.

"There's been far greater co-operation between our two countries," he said.

New Zealand's far-flung interests required "successful management of our international relationships".

New Zealand faced some "testing" times internationally, including tensions over North Korea, and was also "seriously concerned" over instability in the Gulf of Oman.

Nevertheless, there were good prospects for New Zealand to negotiate direct trade deals with both a post-Brexit Britain and the United States.

For Britain, "a trade agreement with New Zealand will be one of the first cabs off the rank".

A major part of our international diplomatic effort was to uphold our democratic values and beliefs, and our diplomats should always "say where we're from", he said.

About 160 people are attending the three-day school.

Comments

Deniers don't live on waterlogged Pacific territories.

They, will, of course, say islands are always waterlogged.

 

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