Posted on 20-8-2002

Climate Change, Radiation Concern In Pacific

SUVA, Fiji, August 19, 2002 (ENS) - Government leaders of 16 Pacific Island
nations expressed "deep concerns" about the adverse impacts of climate
change, climate variability and sea level rise as the 33rd Pacific Islands
Forum closed in Suva on Saturday. Many of these small and low lying island
nations are already experiencing extreme hardship. "While the Pacific
islands are small in population and land territory, in contrast to the
billions who occupy the large land continents," said Fiji Prime Minister
Laisenia Qarase at the opening ceremony, "let us not forget that we have
sovereign authority over nearly one-sixth of the planet's surface,
embracing vast tracts of our Pacific Ocean. This mighty mass of water is
our heritage."

In their final communique, Pacific leaders "encouraged" the United States
and all other major emitters of the greenhouse gases linked to global
warming to contribute towards global efforts to address climate change. The
leaders welcomed the acceptance of the Kyoto climate protocol by Japan and
approval by the European Community and again encouraged all parties to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to ratify it as "a
significant first step forward on a path to ensuring effective global
action to combat climate change."

The Forum includes Australia, which has decided not to ratify the protocol,
agreeing with the United States that it would be bad for the nation's
economy. Some Pacific Island leaders show a growing hostility toward
Canberra which they blame for the threatening sea level rise. Australian
Prime Minister John Howard was served with angry complaints about his
government's climate stance at the Forum. Australia's National Tidal
Facility, which is monitoring sea level across the Pacific, says it has
recorded no rise in the past decade. But a new sea level study by
Australian oceanographer Dr. John Hunter has found it is too early, and the
data is still too uncertain, to draw any conclusions. Today, in the Pacific
Island nation of Tuvalu, people are experiencing damaging tidal surges and
saltwater intrusion into agricultural land. Tuvalu authorities have
publicly conceded defeat and appealed to the governments of New Zealand and
Australia to help in an evacuation of Tuvalu's 11,000 people. Australia is
not accepting, but the first group of evacuees will leave for New Zealand
this year.

During the Forum, Australian Environment Minister Dr. Kemp announced in
Canberra that Australia is "within striking distance" of achieving the
country's Kyoto Protcol target of limiting greenhouse emissions to 108
percent of 1990 levels over the period 2008 – 2012. Kemp said Australia is
projected to reach around 111 percent of 1990 greenhouse emissions by the
end of the decade, "far closer to the 108 percent target than many climate
change commentators have predicted." Still, Australia will not back down
and sign the protocol. "It is clear that the Kyoto Protocol does not at
this time provide an effective framework," said Kemp. "It will make only a
modest contribution – around one percent – to reducing the growth of global
emissions. "Even as a first step, it does not provide a clear path towards
developing countries’ commitments and the U.S. has indicated that it will
not ratify. Together, these countries already produce most of the world’s
greenhouse gas emissions," Kemp said. Noting his country's own
vulnerability to the impacts of global warming, Kemp is still using the
Kyoto target as a benchmark. Calling the 108 percent permitted rise in
greenhouse gas emissions by 2012 "challenging but fair," reflecting rates
of population and economic growth among the fastest in the developed world,
a strong natural resource base to the economy, and that fact that Australia
does not use nuclear power.

Radioactivity and nuclear materials - whether released by nuclear testing
or passing through on spent fuel tankers - are cause for concern across the
Pacific. Leaders endorsed a Nuclear Weapon Free Southern Hemisphere and
emphasized their "continuing serious concerns over the shipment of
radioactive materials through the region." The Forum communique calls on
shipping nations to meet with those nations whose 200 mile Exclusive
Economic Zones the shipments pass on their way between power reactors in
Japan and nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities in France and the United
Kingdom. They want assurances by shippers that the highest possible safety
standards are being met.

While noting the reservation by Australia, the Pacific Island nations are
urging acceptance by shipping nations of full responsibility and liability
for compensation for any damage which may result directly or indirectly
from transport of radioactive materials through the region.

In their final communique, Forum leaders recognize the continued presence
of radioactive contaminants in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The
leaders "reaffirmed the existence of a special responsibility by the United
States towards the people of the Marshall Islands" adversely affected as a
direct result of U.S. nuclear weapons tests of the 1950s.

A five year Nationwide Radiological Survey study of 432 islands in the
Marshalls was funded by the U.S. and conducted by the Marshall Islands
government. Presented in 1994, it shows that 15 atolls and single islands -
almost half the nation - were dusted by radioactive fallout. Begun in 1946,
the last nuclear detonation in the Marshall Islands took place on August
18, 1958 bringing to 66 the total number of nuclear weapons tests at Bikini
and Enewetak. The people suffer thyroid tumors, and a higher than normal
incidence of growth retardation. The 1986 Compact of Free Association
prohibits Marshall Islanders from seeking future legal redress in U.S.
courts and dismissed all current court cases in exchange for a $150 million
compensation trust fund.

The Forum noted the Secretary General’s report on the South Pacific Nuclear
Free Zone Treaty and called on the United States to ratify the protocols to
the treaty as a means of enhancing global and regional peace and security,
including global nuclear non-proliferation.

The 33rd Pacific Islands Forum was attended by heads of state and
government of Australia, the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia,
the Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga,
Tuvalu and Vanuatu.