Updated ,first published
Koror City, Palau: Just five leaders from outside the Pacific have confirmed their attendance at an Australia-organised United Nations climate event in Fiji and Tuvalu next month, despite energetic efforts by the Albanese government to secure attendees.
The pre-COP event was organised as part of a compromise deal between Australia and Turkey that will see the main event held in Antalya, Turkey, rather than Adelaide.
The lead-up event was designed to highlight the impact of climate change on low-lying Pacific nations and the need to take dramatic action to rein in carbon emissions.
Fiji Foreign Minister Sakiasi Ditoka announced on Tuesday afternoon that leaders from Antigua and Barbuda, Cabo Verde, Thailand, Maldives and Timor-Leste had confirmed their attendance at the pre-COP event.
Pacific leaders and ministers from nations such as Germany, Mexico and South Korea will also attend the four-day event in October.
Climate Minister Chris Bowen, who is serving as the COP’s head of negotiations, has said the event was about “bringing the world to the Pacific to see climate impacts and solutions through the COP process”.
“Hosting pre-COP in Fiji, with a leaders’ component in Tuvalu, will bring a global focus to the most pressing challenges facing our region and support investment in solutions which are fit for purpose for our region,” Bowen said when the events were announced in February.
The government is expected to spend $150 million on Bowen’s role, including helping cover the costs for Fiji and Tuvalu to host the pre-COP events.
Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan said the low turnout was an “embarrassment for Chris Bowen”.
“Australian taxpayers, who are doing it tough on energy costs, are footing the bill for this vanity project. Everyone knew from when Chris Bowen said this should be a leaders-only event that no one would show up,” Tehan said.
“This has been a shemozzle from day one, and Bowen should apologise to Pacific leaders and rein in his untapped ego.”
Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo, speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Palau, said his nation was “very grateful” to be hosting part of the event.
“We’ve been advocating and trying to describe through our limited English vocabulary what the situation on the ground is like,” he said.
