Funafuti, Tuvalu: The outcome of the recent climate negotiations at COP 25 in Madrid, Spain was utterly disappointing, the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Hon Kausea Natano, said today.

“The lack of ambition and urgency on climate action emanating from COP 25 is very concerning, particularly for those of us Small Islands Nations on the front lines of the climate crisis that is confronting us now.”

In reflecting on the Pacific Island Forum’s collective commitment to Urgent Climate Action Now through the Kainaki II Declaration, the Secretary General, Dame Meg Taylor reaffirmed the Forum Chair’s earlier sentiments that “the shared prosperity of our Blue Pacific continent can only safely exist if the international community pursues efforts to limit warming to 1.5°c, as set out in the Paris Agreement.”

“It is disheartening that our collective political commitment and resolve, as the Pacific Islands Forum, was not upheld by the parties to this declaration, where it mattered most – that is in the negotiating rooms in Madrid,” said the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.

He further added, “2020 will be crunch-time for us all, as no nation can afford to repeat the depressing outcome of COP 25 – because it will be at the peril of the Blue Planet as we have known it. As we now turn our preparations to COP 26, I call on my colleague Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum to reaffirm and uphold the commitment that we have made through the Kainaki Declaration and strive for ambitious climate action that positively responds to the indisputable scientific evidence that has been presented us through the Special IPCC Reports.”

-ENDS-