Regional forum agrees to address rising sea level

THE Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has endorsed a document that adds to its work in addressing rising sea levels threatening member countries as a result of climate change.
The declaration on preserving maritime zones in the face of climate change-related sea-level rise and accompanying aide-memoire was given formal recognition at PIF’s 51st meeting on Friday when the forum convened in a virtual meeting to address pressing issues affecting its members.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the declaration takes its power and basis from the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and proclaims that affected Pacific countries have the right to develop international law to challenge threats to their livelihood by rising sea levels.
Prime Minister James Marape, while joining other PIF members in applauding the milestone step, affirmed the “critical value and flagship potential” of the declaration.
“It is important to remind ourselves that we must not allow others with economic, financial and military clout to make us – as a region or at the national level – appear subservient to their interests on the ocean’s agenda,” he said.
“We must be treated with respect for our maritime zones entitlements and sovereign rights.
“We, therefore, need to guard ourselves against strategic manoeuvres that may try to strip away rights and entitlements UNCLOS provides to state parties.”
Marape said the declaration was not only preserving, but reinforcing these rights and entitlements flowing from UNCLOS that Pacific nations already had.
The declaration was the result of PIF’s recognition of sea level rise as an existential threat to Pacific peoples’ lives from a meeting in Tuvalu last year.
Marape said PNG was continuing to do its part in climate change talks.