PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 5:52 PM by Tevita

Pacific nations spotlight impact of climate change during UN Assembly debate

28 SEPTEMBER 2007 NEW YORK (Pacnews) -----Representatives of four Pacific nations today used their addresses to the General Assembly to warn the world’s affluent countries to make sure they do not shirk their responsibilities in the global fight against climate change.

Speakers from Papua New Guinea, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru and Palau told the Assembly’s annual high-level debate that their landscapes – with long coastlines exposed to rising sea levels – leave them in the front line of the global warming battle.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said “we are very concerned to see certain industrialized nations attempting to avoid responsibility for their own carbon emissions and shifting the focus to developing nations.

“Only after industrialised nations take responsibility for the consequences of their own actions will the pathway become clear for lasting solutions. However, as developing countries we are willing to contribute equitably towards a sustainable future,” he said

Sir Michael outlined a series of measures he said must be in place in the successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions, which is due to expire in 2012.

Those measures include a new global framework dedicated to reducing emissions from deforestation and land degradation, the scaling up of funding for developing countries as they adapt their industries to the impact of climate change, and commitments by wealthy nations to more aggressively cut their emissions.

Federated States of Micronesia’s President Emanuel Mori said any global response to the various threats posed by climate change should feature the “provision of adequate and additional financing by the developed countries to the most vulnerable to assist us in coping with our adaptation and mitigation requirements.”

Small island developing States such as Micronesia have a pressing need for greater access to renewable sources of energy so they can move away from a dependence on fossil fuels, Mr Mori said.

He stressed that a response to climate change will not be effective unless it is pursued “within the frameworks of the United Nations.”

Nauru President Ludwig Scotty said it was unfair that small island developing States were among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change when they collectively contributed so little to the emission of greenhouse gases.

Although he joined the call for developed nations to do more to help poor nations to adapt, Mr. Scotty also said non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the rest of civil society in poor countries can cooperate more to build up capacity in the fight against climate change.

“Capital investments alone are not sufficient,” he said. “The need is to respond to the climate challenge with technology, skills and knowledge which are required to guide us.”

Palau’s Vice-President Elias Camsek Chin said the proposed reductions under a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol must be ambitious and quantifiable, rather than a set of general intentions.

Mr. Chin warned of the dire consequences if the world’s countries do not agree soon on an urgent programme of emission reduction.

“We are no longer in total control of our own destinies. When temperatures increase, our corals bleach, the seas rise, and the oceans acidify, threatening to demolish our marine biodiversity, jeopardizing our livelihood, and eventually destroying our identity,” he said…PNS (ENDS)



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This weblog documents the activities of Pacific Agricultural Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN), along with other information on plant genetic resources (PGR) in the Pacific. The myriad varieties found within cultivated plants are fundamental to the present and future productivity of agriculture. PAPGREN, which is coordinated by the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), helps Pacific countries and territories to conserve their crop genetic diversity sustainably, with technical assistance from the Bioversity International (BI) and support from NZAID and ACIAR. SPC also hosts the Centre of Pacific Crops and Trees (CEPaCT). The CEPaCT maintains regional in vitro collections of crops important to the Pacific and carries out research on tissue culture technology. The CEPaCT Adviser is Dr Mary Taylor (MaryT@spc.int), the CEPaCT Curator is Ms Valerie Tuia (ValerieT@spc.int). 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Box 77 Nausori Fiji Islands Tel: (679) 3477044 Fax: (679) 3477546-400262 Email: apisainu@yahoo.com Dr Maurice Wong Service du Developpement Rural B.P. 100 Papeete Tahiti 98713 French Polynesia Tel: (689) 42 81 44 Fax: (689) 42 08 31 Email: maurice.wong@rural.gov.pf Mr Tianeti Beenna Ioane Head, Research Section Division of Agriculture Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development P.O. Box 267 Tarawa Kiribati Tel: (686) 28096-28108-28080 Fax: (686) 28121 Email : agriculture@tskl.net.ki; Beenna_ti@yahoo.com Mr Frederick Muller Secretary Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 1727 Majuro 96960 Marshall Islands Tel: (692) 6253206 Fax: (692) 6257471 Email: rndsec@ntamar.net Mr Herman Francisco Director Bureau of Agriculture Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 460 Koror 96940 Palau Tel: (680) 4881517 Fax: (680) 4881725 Email: bnrd@pnccwg.palaunet.com Ms Rosa Kambuou Principal Scientist PGR NARI Dry Lowlands Programme Laloki Agricultural Research Station P.O. Box 1828 Boroko National Capital District Papua New Guinea Tel: (675) 3235511 Fax: (675) 3234733 Email: kambuou@global.net.pg Ms Laisene Samuelu Principal Crop Development Officer Crops Division Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries & Meteorology P.O. Box 1874 Apia Samoa Tel: (685) 23416-20605 Fax: (685) 20607-23996 Email: lsamuelu@lesamoa.net Mr Jimi Saelea Director of Research Department of Agriculture and Livestock P.O. Box G13 Honiara Guadalcanal Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 27987 Mr Tony Jansen Planting Materials Network Kastom Gaden Association Burns Creek, Honiara P.O. Box 742 Honiara Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 39551 Email: kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb Mr Finao Pole Head of Research Ministry of Agriculture & Forests P.O. 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DIVA-GIS	Tuesday, October 02, 2007 Posted 5:52 PM by Tevita Pacific nations spotlight impact of climate change during UN Assembly debate From : PACNEWS 28 SEPTEMBER 2007 NEW YORK (Pacnews) -----Representatives of four Pacific nations today used their addresses to the General Assembly to warn the world’s affluent countries to make sure they do not shirk their responsibilities in the global fight against climate change. Speakers from Papua New Guinea, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru and Palau told the Assembly’s annual high-level debate that their landscapes – with long coastlines exposed to rising sea levels – leave them in the front line of the global warming battle. Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said “we are very concerned to see certain industrialized nations attempting to avoid responsibility for their own carbon emissions and shifting the focus to developing nations. “Only after industrialised nations take responsibility for the consequences of their own actions will the pathway become clear for lasting solutions. However, as developing countries we are willing to contribute equitably towards a sustainable future,” he said Sir Michael outlined a series of measures he said must be in place in the successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions, which is due to expire in 2012. Those measures include a new global framework dedicated to reducing emissions from deforestation and land degradation, the scaling up of funding for developing countries as they adapt their industries to the impact of climate change, and commitments by wealthy nations to more aggressively cut their emissions. Federated States of Micronesia’s President Emanuel Mori said any global response to the various threats posed by climate change should feature the “provision of adequate and additional financing by the developed countries to the most vulnerable to assist us in coping with our adaptation and mitigation requirements.” Small island developing States such as Micronesia have a pressing need for greater access to renewable sources of energy so they can move away from a dependence on fossil fuels, Mr Mori said. He stressed that a response to climate change will not be effective unless it is pursued “within the frameworks of the United Nations.” Nauru President Ludwig Scotty said it was unfair that small island developing States were among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change when they collectively contributed so little to the emission of greenhouse gases. Although he joined the call for developed nations to do more to help poor nations to adapt, Mr. Scotty also said non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the rest of civil society in poor countries can cooperate more to build up capacity in the fight against climate change. “Capital investments alone are not sufficient,” he said. “The need is to respond to the climate challenge with technology, skills and knowledge which are required to guide us.” Palau’s Vice-President Elias Camsek Chin said the proposed reductions under a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol must be ambitious and quantifiable, rather than a set of general intentions. Mr. Chin warned of the dire consequences if the world’s countries do not agree soon on an urgent programme of emission reduction. “We are no longer in total control of our own destinies. When temperatures increase, our corals bleach, the seas rise, and the oceans acidify, threatening to demolish our marine biodiversity, jeopardizing our livelihood, and eventually destroying our identity,” he said…PNS (ENDS) * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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