PM Jacinda Ardern making the first announcement from the Government's $1.3 billion climate finance fund, with at least half going to Pacific projects. Photo / Michael Neilson
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she welcomes "healthy competition" on climate change with her Australian counterpart as Anthony Albanese looks to increase ambition and repair relations with Pacific countries.
The Herald reported today Pacific climate leaders are urging a "transtasman rivalry" to encourage the Forum's largest and wealthiest members, and largest emitters, to dramatically increase their climate ambition.
While New Zealand has been regarded a leader, Australia has been seen as a laggard in recent years due to low emissions targets, funding and reliance on coal for exports.
Ardern, who is in Suva, Fiji, this week for the Pacific Islands forum, said she welcomed any new ambition under Albanese, when asked if she was worried any impending announcements could surpass those of New Zealand.
Since taking office a few months back, Albanese has already increased emissions reduction targets and is expected to soon dramatically increase the country's climate financing contributions - for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.
"There's one area where I think the world would welcome some healthy competition between New Zealand and Australia.
"And I imagine that would be would be our climate action.
"All I know is that from New Zealand's perspective, we've known that we needed to increase our vision we have we needed to increase our climate finance, we have significantly and if others choose to do the same, that is only a good thing."
Ardern said climate change was brought up at every Forum as the main security issue, and acting on that would help address their concerns.
Ardern on Tuesday announced $10m to go towards Fiji-based seedbank Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT), set up to conserve the region's collections of 17 crops, including yam, coconut and 70 per cent of the world's taro varieties. These are all threatened by climate impacts. Another $5m will go to a global genebank supporting the centre.
Half of the $1.3 billion climate financing commitment, announced in October last year, for 2022–2025 is dedicated to mitigation and adaptation measures in the Pacific.
Ardern said while just $10m of $1.3b had been announced nearly a year into the four-year fund's existence she expected it to all be spent within the allocated timeframe. There had been delays due to Covid, she said.
Low-lying Pacific island nations face an existential threat from climate change, and as such have been urging the world to keep global warming below a maximum of 1.5C. This target requires countries to make as ambitious cuts to greenhouse gas emissions as possible, and fast.
Australia and New Zealand are among the highest greenhouse gas emitters per capita in the world, and as such carry great responsibility to reduce their emissions. As the wealthiest nations in the Pacific Islands Forum, they are also looked to for financial contributions to assist others.
Australia has long been regarded a laggard on climate change action, largely for its devotion to coal and years of conservative leaders who have raised scepticism of its impacts.
The Climate Council last week said in a report Australia was responsible for about 84 per cent of the Pacific's emissions - per capita emissions were almost 10 times higher than smaller island nations.
Conversely, New Zealand has drawn praise in recent years from regional leaders for comparatively ambitious emissions targets and advocacy on the world stage.
New Zealand has committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and reducing net emissions by 50 per cent below gross 2005 levels by 2030, which it says is in line with the global 1.5C target.
Last year the Government upped climate finance support, to help developing countries reduce emissions and for adaptation efforts, to $1.3 billion over four years - at least half of which will go to the Pacific. This puts it roughly on a par with Australia, despite having a fifth of the population and a much smaller economy.
Australia is also committed to net zero emissions by 2050.
The Albanese government has been welcomed by Pacific leaders after he strengthened Australia's 2030 emissions reduction target to 43 per cent on 2005 levels (up from 26-28 per cent under Scott Morrison). He also committed to a National Transition Plan to take Australia to a "supercharged" clean energy future and move away from reliance on coal exports.
In their recent bilateral talks in Sydney, both he and Ardern spoke of collaboration on climate change as being a core part of ongoing relations.
On climate finance, Australia's commitment currently averages A$400 million a year. Experts estimate a "reasonable share" of what is needed globally is $2 billion to $3b.
Climate change will be a key topic in meetings through the week and the leaders' summit on Friday.
Australia Climate Council senior researcher and climate diplomacy expert Dr Wesley Morgan said there was much hope the new Albanese government would not only make up ground on climate change but become a leader.
"New Zealand has shown Australia up for some time now, and the Pacific countries have recognised this," Morgan said.
"I think we can expect some announcements soon, particularly around climate financing, and the forum would be an ideal place to do that."
Vanuatu is also seeking support in its case to get the International Court of Justice – the world's highest court – to issue an Advisory Opinion on the climate crisis.
If successful, this would have huge implications for climate litigation, and could shape the way that domestic and international courts address issues relating to climate change.
Foreign Ministers backed the bid on Friday at a meeting setting out intentions for this week, signalling leaders are likely to support it. However, support is with the caveat to see the final text first.
The bid is also in the context of Albanese seeking to co-host a United Nations COP meeting on climate change with Pacific island countries, a move also backed on Friday.
To get the full support however stronger action of the forum's largest and wealthiest member would likely be needed.