Pacific: Climate Change

(asked on 7th January 2019) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the outcomes were of the Wilton Park Forum on Climate Change and Resilience in relation to improving climate resilience in the Pacific Region.


Answered by
 Portrait
Mark Field
This question was answered on 15th January 2019

The UK and New Zealand Governments cosponsored the Wilton Park Forum on Climate Change and Resilience, which took place between 16th and 18th December 2018, as part of our shared commitment to support international action on climate change. The Pacific Island countries are uniquely affected by climate change and this high-level dialogue brought together Pacific leaders, development partners, civil society and academics to look at the Pacific priorities and concerns and identify options to support and amplify the Pacific Islands' powerful call for ambitious international action.

The detailed discussions helped to promote new partnerships and develop fresh perspectives, and potential policy responses that respond to Pacific needs and priorities.

Participants collaborated on the identification of key challenges to the Pacific region resulting from climate change, focussing on four key areas of climate change for the Pacific – finance, the oceans-climate nexus, security and migration. The consensus on all four areas was that further work was needed to tackle the range of challenges that existed.

Wilton Park will release a formal report, including future policy options, by the end of January. Officials in both London and Wellington will consider these policy options. There is a clear desire from participants to have further discussions in the Pacific region on these issues ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum next August.

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