‘Big carbon emitters’ told to apologise to small island states

PRIME Minister James Marape has told the “big carbon emitters” of the world to apologise to the small island states and other victims of climate change.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he said the Pacific Ocean was home to marine and terrestrial biodiversity, where the most vulnerable small island states are being exposed to global threats of rise in sea level.
“Our oceanic homes and our way of life is intertwined with the ecosystem,” he said.
“This equilibrium is now affected by human influence, not of our making.
“But we are the victims and the most affected because of our inherent vulnerabilities.
“May I remind us all that children and their families are living in fear and uncertainty of what their future will be like.
“Because in their lifetime they have seen their arable and safe lands lost to sea level rise and are watching as the structures that their lives are built upon slips away.
“It is time the big carbon emitters own up and apologise to the small island states and other victims of climate change.
“I make a call to all of us and especially to the big carbon emitting nations, who are now enjoying their national economic transformations through industrialisation, to pause, think and take responsibility to save our planet.”
He said leaders of the big carbon-emitting nations must lead the global effort in rebalancing the environmental equilibrium.
“It is a hard ask but a necessary call for leadership and champions,” he said.
“Papua New Guinea recognises the need to save Earth and we are contributing to preserve Earth.
“God has blessed us with about 13 per cent of the world’s tropical rainforests and 6 per cent of its biodiversity.
“These are global assets we want to preserve.”