Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters in New York attending a leaders' breakfast at the United Nations. Photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith
The Foreign Affairs Minister says the world needs to face the "elephant in the room" on global emissions, during a climate change meeting in New York this morning.
Winston Peters was up early for the United Nations leaders' breakfast, co-chaired by New Zealand's Pacific neighbour Tuvalu, to discuss the existential threats posed by rising sea levels.
New Zealand has been contributing to UN efforts to clarify the legal position of countries' exclusive economic zones, as their land masses shrink.
Addressing the room this morning, Peters said, "We have to be honest and realistic here.
"Four countries comprise 60 percent of the world's emissions, and the rest of the 191 countries... are wrestling with this problem. We have to face the fact, deal with it - we're in a battle we can't possibly win."
Peters has previously pointed out that the world's four biggest emitters - China, India, Russia and the US - aren't pulling their weight when it comes to emissions reductions.
"Sooner or later we're going to have to be looking at this issue with our eyes wide open," he said on Friday (NZT).
Reporters were asked to leave the meeting after Peters' remarks, but a staffer later relayed that the World Bank's Global Director for Climate Change, Valerie Hickey, went on to say the Foreign Affairs Minister had "dropped a truth bomb" and reinforced how critical it was for major emitters to take meaningful action.
Climate change has been a growing issue for the UN to grapple with, as member states like Tuvalu, a low-lying island, sink into the ocean.
Winston Peters listens to Donald Trump's hour-long speech at the United Nations. Photo: Supplied
Contrast to Trump's view
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump told UN members that climate change was "the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world".
Speaking to New Zealand reporters earlier on Friday (NZT), Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said Trump's comments were appalling.
"We are firm and confident in the science - international science - that most of the countries around the world believe that climate change is a reality."
Winston Peters with Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo Photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith
Teo said it would be helpful if the United States showed leadership on climate change issues.
"The US, of course, is a major contributor to international multilateralism. So with the US position on climate change - and even renewable energy - they totally dismiss them as a hoax.
"It's quite concerning to countries like Tuvalu, that are at the forefront of the impact of climate change."
Teo said he was heartened that the UN General Assembly had committed to another dedicated summit on sea-level rise next year, and hoped a UN declaration on this issue would be put forward and adopted then.
Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo Photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith
Peters was asked about his view on the United States' position on climate change and what it might mean for the Pacific.
"Even if it wasn't the United States involved, there are still three other countries - China being the leading one - and other economies where no contribution in terms of emissions reduction is being made," he said.
"So let's face the elephant in the room and stop kidding ourselves that all this effort and all this money is going to get us any outcome without [an agreement]."
China was among a handful of countries which announced new climate plans on Wednesday, pledging to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent to 10 per cent from its peak over the next decade.
It marked the first time China - the world's biggest emitter - pledged a cut in emissions, rather than just limiting their growth.
But independent non-profit group Climate Action Tracker said the new target was a missed opportunity given China was already set to achieve that goal with its existing policies.
Overall, CAT has rated China's policies and targets to be "highly insufficient" while noting it was the global powerhouse driving a clean energy transition.
New Zealand is also rated "highly insufficient", as is India. CAT this week downgraded the United States' rating to "critically insufficient", the same as Russia.
Peters has made similar comments before, including in his State of the Nation address and subsequent Morning Report interview in March.
Peters met with the World Food Programme's executive director, Cindy Hensley McCain, for an update on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the programme's efforts to get food supplies into the region.
New Zealand has contributed $37.5 million for humanitarian aid in Gaza over the past two years, and it's likely the government is considering further funding as it weighs up recognising Palestinian statehood.
Peters also met with United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah to discuss developments in the Middle East.
He will outline New Zealand's position on Palestinian statehood in his speech in the UN General Assembly's general debate on Saturday (New Zealand time).
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