S1E114: COP28: Vanuatu climate minister on the 'loss and damage' fund

Dec 8, 2023

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A fund to pay highly vulnerable countries for loss and damage from climate impact, was finally initiated at the COP28 climate talks in Dubai.

Synopsis: The Straits Times' climate editor David Fogarty is at COP28 from Nov 23 till Dec 12 in Dubai, the United Nations climate change conference.

The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is a remote chain of about 80 islands, many of them mountainous, with a total population of over 300,000 people. It has suffered devastating cyclones, rising sea levels, coral bleaching from warming oceans and other impacts, costing its people and the economy dearly.

Each major disaster drains the budget and sets the country back, with damaged houses, roads, schools and hospitals needing to be repaired or rebuilt.

Vanuatu has long championed the idea of a fund to pay highly vulnerable countries for the loss and damage from climate impact. And it has been a strident voice pushing for big polluting nations to face up to their responsibilities for the human rights impacts caused by their emissions.

Vanuatu, along with other Pacific island nations, is calling for a total phase out of fossil fuels to try to save their nations at COP28.

In this episode, recorded at COP28, ST's David Fogarty hosts Mr Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, who is a leading voice for ambitious climate action.

Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

0:56 Why is Vanuatu so vulnerable to climate change impacts?

3:14 How are the worsening impacts affecting people and the economy?

5:51 Vanuatu’s role in pushing for big polluters to take responsibility for the impact of their emissions

11:50 Australia is a major donor but also a major fossil fuel exporter. How best to manage that relationship?

17:50 Is there a limit to what Pacific island nations can withstand in terms of climate impacts? What does the future look like?

Produced by: David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

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