Samoa Observer 10th May 2018
May is a momentous moment for climate change in the Pacific with key milestone events happening in our region.
It includes the ground-breaking ceremony to commence construction of the Pacific Climate Change Centre (P.C.C.C.) at Vailima tomorrow.
A high level dialogue on climate change and biodiversity for Pacific leaders took place with the Hon Jean-Yves Le Drian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France on 4 May. This was held during the three day Presidential visit of H.E Emmanuel Macron and his delegation to New Caledonia.
Also to take place in May is the very first Pacific Resilience Partnership Taskforce meeting as the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific unfolds, the Bonn Climate Change Conference is underway consisting of a range of different meetings under the UN Framework for the Convention on Climate Change, and on 11 May construction of the Pacific Climate Change Centre will begin construction with a ground breaking ceremony.
The Paris Agreement was described as “An equitable and irreversible agreement demonstrating solidarity,” by Hon. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, France during the high level dialogue on climate change and biodiversity. He also said that the French development agency (AFD) is to become a fully-fledged development bank which will be active in the Pacific region and completely aligned with the Paris Agreement.
Director General of S.P.R.E.P, Leota Kosi Latu, participated in the high level dialogue and also met with President Macron during his visit to New Caledonia.