The Tongan Government along with other Pacific Island states have urged world leaders to take action against climate change, at a climate change conference in Lima, Peru that ended last week December 14.

The two-week long conference, organised by the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was held from December 1-14.

Paula Ma'u, CEO of Environment & Communications, presented Tonga's official statement to the conference on December 11, stating that Tonga is on the frontline of climate change, and that nowhere is climate change more evident than in the low-lying islands of the Pacific.

“Tonga considers climate change to be the greatest threat to our very survival, and have highlighted through national efforts, the need to respond urgently and adequately to the social, economic and security impacts of climate change, to ensure our survival and viability.”

The Government and the people of Tonga called on world leaders to seek solutions that will focus on accelerating actions and increasing ambition and to also take concrete action nationally.

“We as one of the world's most vulnerable countries ... urge world leaders to revise their development strategies taking up the challenge of adopting and reverting to a more sustianable means for development. ... The failure to act will guarantee the rapid deterioration of our planet, our people, our islands and our cultures,” he stated.

An emotional plea was made by Tuvaluan Prime Minister, Enele Sopoaga, who told delegates “I ask everyone who leaves this room to look into the eyes of the first child they see. I want everyone to look into the child’s eyes and imagine what those eyes will see in ten or twenty years. Will they see hell or will they see a sustainable planet.”

The conference agreed to the “Lima call for Climate Action”. The call “urges developed country Parties to provide and mobilize enhanced financial support to developing country Parties for ambitious mitigation and adaptation actions, especially to Parties that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change; and recognizes complementary support by other Parties.”