Pacific leaders accuse Australia of 'climate injustice' at COP29

Pacific leaders at the UN climate summit in Azerbaijan are criticising Australia's push to expand its gas industry in Western Australia, warning it could emit 125 times more greenhouse gases annually than their nations combined.

As the second week of Cop29 unfolds in Baku, officials from Vanuatu and Tuvalu urged Australia to halt new fossil fuel developments, including extending the lifespan of Woodside's North West Shelf gas facility to 2070.

A call for accountability

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's special envoy for climate change, accused Australia of hypocrisy, saying it cannot claim climate leadership while expanding fossil fuel projects.

"As the world’s third largest fossil fuel exporter, the Australian government is exporting climate destruction overseas, including to Pacific nations like Vanuatu, who experience the most devastating impacts of the climate crisis, despite contributing the least."

"This is climate injustice," he stated.

Regenvanu pressed Australia to uphold its commitment from last year's Cop28 in Dubai to transition away from fossil fuels.

Maina Talia, Tuvalu's climate change minister, echoed these concerns, highlighting that limiting global warming to 1.5°C is not just a number but a "lifeline for Pacific communities facing rising seas, accelerating extreme weather disasters and the erosion of our cultures".

"We will continue to keep industrialised countries accountable for their actions... Our future lies solely in their hands," he said.

Australia and Cop31

Australia is lobbying to co-host Cop31 in 2026 with Pacific countries, competing against Turkey.

While Pacific nations back Australia’s bid for what’s being dubbed "the Pacific Cop," leaders, including Tonga's and Palau's, stress it must prioritise lifting commitments to cut emissions and support the most vulnerable in the region, reports The Guardian.

Speaking in Azerbaijan, Tuvalu's climate change ministerTalia remarked, that co-host Cop31 would be "an exciting opportunity to accelerate ambitious climate action in our region".

However, she stressed that "a commitment to end new fossil fuels must lie at the heart of this... That means no new coal and gas, and a fair, fast phase-out of all fossil fuels."

(With inputs from agencies)