Over the last 10 years or so, the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), have demonstrated, through various significant events, how they can prevail in the international climate change negotiations if they work together. This has been possible also because of distinguished leadership from individuals and countries.

In 2013, Marshall Islands hosted the 43rd Pacific Islands Forum meeting and adopted the visionary RMI Declaration for Climate Leadership. The Declaration captures the Pacific’s political commitment to be a region of climate leaders and to spark a “new wave of climate leadership” that could deliver a safe climate future for all. This really provided the impetus to the UNFCCC discussions leading to a successor to the UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol, as well as to draw up the blueprint for a fresh universal, legal agreement to deal with climate change beyond 2020. These decisions were embodied in the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, following the UNFCCC COP17.

Read the full article on the Griffith University - Griffith Asia Insights website, authored by Dr Mahendra Kumar