In a fervent appeal to the global community, Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea has called on US President Donald Trump to “rethink” his decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and current global climate initiatives.

Marape’s plea came during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting held in Davos, Switzerland, on 23 January 2025.

Expressing deep concern for the impacts of climate change on Papua New Guinea and other vulnerable Pacific Island nations, Marape highlighted the dire consequences these nations face due to rising sea levels and increasingly severe weather patterns.

“The effects of climate change are not just theoretical for us; they have real, devastating impacts on our fragile economies and our way of life,” he said.

The Prime Minister emphasised that while it was within President Trump’s prerogative to prioritise American interests, withdrawing the United States — the second-largest emitter of carbon dioxide– from the Paris Agreement without implementing measures to curtail coal power production was “totally irresponsible”, Marape said.

“As a leader of a major forest and ocean nation in the Pacific region, I urge President Trump to reconsider his decision.”

He went on to point out the contradiction in the US stance.

US not closing coal plants
“The United States is not shutting down any of its coal power plants yet has chosen to withdraw from critical climate efforts. This is fundamentally irresponsible.

“The science regarding our warming planet is clear — it does not lie,” he said.

Marape further articulated that as the “Leader of the Free World,” Trump had a moral obligation to engage with global climate issues.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape’s plea to President Trump.  Video: PNGTV

“It is morally wrong for President Trump to disregard the pressing challenges of climate change.

He must articulate how he intends to address this critical issue,” he added, stressing that effective global leaders had a responsibility not only to their own nations but also to the planet as a whole.

In a bid to advocate for small island nations that are bearing the brunt of climate impacts, PM Marape announced plans to bring this issue to the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

He hopes to unify the voices of PIF member countries in a collective statement regarding the US withdrawal from climate negotiations.

US revived Pacific relations
“The United States has recently revitalised its relations with the Pacific. It is discouraging to see it retreating from climate discussions that significantly affect our region’s efforts to mitigate climate change,” he said.

Prime Minister Marape reminded the international community that while larger nations might have the capacity to withstand extreme weather events such as typhoons, wildfires, and tornadoes, smaller nations like Papua New Guinea could not endure such impacts.

“For us, every storm and rising tide represents a potential crisis. Big nations can afford to navigate these challenges, but for us, the stakes are incredibly high,” he said.

Marape’s appeal underscores the urgent need for collaborative and sustained global action to combat climate change, particularly for nations like Papua New Guinea, which are disproportionately affected by environmental change.

Republished with permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

The Chief Administrator of the Federated States of Micronesia’s most remote island is calling on senators in the Congress to approve funds to build a major seawall.

Solomon Lowson says Kapingamarangi Atoll, which has a population of about 500, has been battered by climate-related disasters for decades.

“Without seawall, our crop will not grow well because this happens every year, especially in the months of November and December,” Lowson told RNZ Pacific.

In January, homes were washed away and their taro patches damaged by salt water.

He said his island is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis.

“We’ve been having this problem for so many years; we’ve been hit by a tidal wave and it caused a lot of inundation of water into our taro patches,” he said.

“So we’re trying to get some money to help build and make it safe for the future.”

Pohnpei State Governor, Stevenson Joseph, is due to arrive in Kapingamarangi on Friday (local time) to discuss the issues.

Lowson said the type of seawall needed would need to be built from rocks and concrete.

The community is allocated around US$87,000 (NZ$147,000) each year for the municipal operation, but the seawall is expected to cost around US$80,000, Lowson said.

“We have only small projects like renovating our office, because we don’t have enough money to to make a big project [like the seawall],” he said.

Around 150 people currently reside on Kapingamarangi, and there is a diaspora of around 2000 living in Pohnpei, in mainland Hawaii, Guam and many other places, Lowson said.

With sea surges wrecking their taro crops Lawson issued a declaration calling for food assistance.

He said he does not want to keep relying on shipments of rice, ramen and flour because local produce is much healthier.

Drought another threat
While the small remote atoll gets battered by the ocean, there is another threat, drought.

Thousands of people have been impacted by drought in the Federated States of Micronesia over the past year, including Kapingamarangi residents.

Earlier this year, the Australian vessel Reliant dispatched 116,000 liters of fresh water for drought response in Pohnpei, while the US Coast Guard aided in transporting relief supplies and RO units to Kapingamarangi and Nukuoro, the Office of the President said via a statement.

Lowson is hoping this week’s visit from Joseph will end in solutions and a plan to fund a seawall.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz