Tuvalu: Polluters must pay for climate damage

The Pacific nation of Tuvalu has called on nations that do not comply with emissions rules to shoulder the rising costs of climate change damage, saying: "If you pollute, you have to pay."
"We really need to ensure that we continue to push for action from the countries that pollute the most," Climate Affairs Minister Maina Thalia told AFP on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands summit.
"Polluter pays should be in the discussion."
The Pacific Islands Forum - the region's most important summit - opened in the Kingdom of Tonga, drawing global attention to the region's climate plight.
"We cannot address climate change without addressing the root cause, which is the fossil fuel industry," Talia said.
"It's disaster after disaster, and we're losing our ability to rebuild to withstand another cyclone or another flood."
With an average elevation of less than three meters above sea level, Tuvalu's coral atolls are seriously threatened by even moderate sea level rise.
"We shouldn't turn a blind eye to climate change and the problem of sea level rise," says Talia.
“We need to make sure that the most polluting countries continue to support not only Tuvalu, but also other low-lying countries.” | BGNES