Your Excellency President Petro,
Honourable Prime Minister Natano,
Honourable Prime Minister Browne,
Ministers,
Archbishop Chong,
Distinguished guests, esteemed colleagues, and dear friends,
Good afternoon. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Tuvalu and Vanuatu for organizing this important event, and for extending their kind invitation to me.
During my visit to Tuvalu in 2019 – already four years ago – I had the privilege of meeting a remarkable young boy named Falou.
He shared with me the conversations he had with his friends about the potential sinking of Tuvalu and the uncertain future they faced.
Some of his friends contemplated leaving the island in case Tuvalu sinks – they were actually specific, seeking refuge in Fiji – while others expressed their willingness to stay and sink with their beloved homeland. These are children, eleven to thirteen years old, who are saying this.
Falou's words deeply affected me, serving as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by children in the Pacific.
Children should be children, I would have loved if he was laughing and playing and being a child but he wasn’t.
They worry about the survival of their island homes due to the emissions produced by distant nations.
This reality weighs heavily on their young shoulders. Imagine our children carrying this heavy weight on their shoulders, highlighting the profound impact our actions, or lack thereof, have on the lives of the most vulnerable.
Addressing climate change necessitates addressing the role of fossil fuels, much like we cannot discuss lung cancer without acknowledging the impact of tobacco.
It is undeniable that over 75% of greenhouse gas emissions stem from oil, coal, and gas, which not only harm our planet, but also pose a grave threat to human health.
Some people tell me, “Why do you say fossil fuel, because fossil fuel is one of the contributors to emissions, and why don’t you say just carbon emissions?”
Then I say to them: when carbon fuel – that’s oil, natural gas and coal – combined contributes more than 75 %, then why can’t we name that major contributor? Why do we combine it with the rest? If you combine it, where do you focus, but if you identify it, you know where to focus, because it’s more than 75%, even if I take the conservative estimate.
Without addressing this 75% or 80%, achieving the 1.5 degree Centigrade limit is baloney. It will not happen.
As Prime Minister Natano said, debating this issue, which is obvious, and fighting the same battle, we just stay in the same place, we don’t move even an inch. As he said – and I agree – this has to stop, and we should make progress, because the science is there, the evidence is clear. Not only do we know the problem, we also know the solution, and the solution is also clear, as the Minister of Palau said.
The devastating effects of air pollution resulting from these emissions claim the lives of over 7 million people each year.
In full support of your call for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, the World Health Organization stands united with you. As Prime Minister Browne said, I will continue to champion, and the whole organization for that matter.
We are joined by nearly 50 million health workers represented by various organizations, advocating for robust climate action, including the phasing-out of fossil fuels. So in the health sector you have already 50 million champions.
The objectives outlined in the proposed treaty are clear, evidence-based, and equitable. A rapid phase-out of fossil fuels is imperative to safeguard island nations, preserve the integrity of our planet, and protect the health and well-being of all.
Again, I extend my deepest appreciation for your unwavering leadership to my leaders here, and continued commitment to this vital cause. We have a duty to protect the homes and health of children like Falou and his friends. Please let’s allow them to be children.
Thank you all for your tireless efforts in addressing this critical issue. Together, we can create a sustainable future that ensures the well-being of future generations. So let’s move in a way that doesn’t have any regret, to do everything that we can. The Treaty is the best that we have. Let’s make it happen, and the action should also follow.
Thank you.