Of all the testimonies about the impact of global warming heard at the Pacific Islands Forum summit, Maina Talia’s may be the most heart-wrenching.
The Tuvalu climate change minister has been a relentless ambassador for lifting climate ambition, given the imminent threat to his homeland.
“I couldn’t sleep last night thinking, ‘how are we going to prepare ourselves’,” he said in Palau.
“Because the scenarios that may happen in the next 100 years or so, could happen within next 10 years or so.
“It’s real now. It’s here now. It’s no longer a distant threat for the Pacific, and it’s a call for all of us to scale climate actions.”
The dispiriting findings in the UNEP report include a best-case scenario of a 1.8 degree temperature rise above pre-industrial levels.
That is past a scientifically-backed tipping point, when temperature rises become much harder to stop because of flow-on effects.
With a highest point of just under five metres above sea level, for Tuvalu and Mr Talia, there can be no navigating the climate with warming over 1.5 per cent.
The UNEP report states “the policy challenge has shifted from avoiding overshoot to navigating it”.
The risks, at even the UNEP’s best case scenario, include ice sheet collapse, deforestation and the thawing of permafrost: outcomes which would trigger further warming and/or sea level rise.
“The 1.5 has been central to the discussion … for the past many years, and we will continue to push for that,” Mr Talia said said.
“The only way out for us is to ensure that we continue to push for 1.5 to stay alive, to stay in our countries.”
It was five years ago, in an address to the COP26 climate talks, that Mr Talia’s predecessor Simon Kofe won the world’s attention for a video address while standing in thigh-deep water.
Since then, Tuvalu and Australia have signed the Falepili, a groundbreaking pact with a security element and climate adaptation, but also a resettlement ballot for Tuvalu citizens.
Some, like Mr Talia, do not intend to take up that option.
Alongside Mr Talia in Palau was Ralph Regenvanu, the Vanuatu climate change minister who led a successful case to the International Court of Justice finding high-emitting countries have a legal duty to stop climate harm.
“Australia is not doing enough. Australia is a major producer of fossil fuels. We all know fossil fuels are the primary driver of the climate crisis,” Mr Regenvanu said.
“The very least a country like Australia should be doing is stopping future expansion, and it’s not doing that.
“This means a rapid transitioning away from fossil fuels and fossil fuel subsidies. There’s no other way.”
The Climate Council states the Albanese Government had approved 36 new, expanded or extended coal, oil and gas projects to March 2026.
In Palau, Mr Albanese defended his government’s record, saying the grid had recently hit 50 per cent supply from renewables, and Pacific leaders understood a transition would take time.
“Australia is highly regarded when it comes to climate change … Pacific leaders have respect for the position that we’ve taken,” he said.
Australia is also a big supporter of the Pacific’s push to become a 100 per cent renewable region, as championed by Palau President Surangel Whipps.
On Thursday, Mr Albanese and Mr Whipps will visit an Australia-backed solar panel farm which will bump Palau’s share of renewable-powered electricity generation to 25 per cent.
“Palau has shown strong leadership on climate action and sustainable development, and Australia is proud to support those efforts,” Mr Albanese said.
