By Katalina Siasau

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today, joined youth members from around the Pacific in a collaborative call for immediate climate actions and demanded equality from the world's biggest emitters of CO2. Over a hundred youth members joined this Inter-generational dialogue with the UN Secretary General, in a talanoa style, seated on mats on the floor of Tonga's Legislative Assembly Chamber, in Nuku’alofa.

The Crown Prince Tupouto'a 'Ulukalala and Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku'aho joined the dialogue with their eldest son, Prince Taufa'ahau Manumataongo (11), who was the youngest member in the room.

An opening address was given by the young Prince Taufa’ahau, telling a story of climate resilient telling of his yearning for a blue and green earth for his future and the future of his generation.

In line with the 53rd PIFLM theme, this dialogue’s theme was “Empowering Pacific Youth to Create a Transformative and Resilient Pasifiki by Building Better Now”, with particular focus on “Youth and Implementing Effective Climate Action and Building Stronger Resilience.”

The Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in an opening statement said, “My presence here is a presence of solidarity, but it also to join my voice to your voice, when you claim that it is needed to stop this suicide of the planet.

"To join my voice to your voice saying that adaptation is to be much more supportive in relation to the present situation because you are suffering dramatically the impacts. To join my voice to your voice to say that we need justice and equity in the way the International financial system works, because today, it works for the benefit of the rich. This is a visit to express my deep solidarity to Tonga and to the other Pacific Islands, in a situation in which there is an injustice and enormous inequality in the way you are treated by today's  global economies and by today's global institutions, including the UN."

First of all, Guterres noted that the Pacific Islands do not have an impact on climate change.

The Pacific Islands contribution of CO2 emissions is amongst the lowest in the world. However, Pacific Islands are in the first line of the negative impacts of climate change.

"This is an enormous injustice!" said Guterres.

"The one thing that is very clear in my presence here is to be able to say loud and clear from the Pacific Islands to the big emitters: that is totally unacceptable to go on, with the devastating impacts that climate change already has, to go on, on increasing emissions."

Phase out fossil fuels

"To tell here from the Pacific to the big emitters that it's absolutely essential to phase out fossil fuels. To tell big emitters that it is absolutely necessary to reverse through their different economic processes, to reverse the present trends, and to start decreasing emissions during this decade."

"The Pacific Islands have the right to tell that to big emitters because it's the Pacific Islands that are in the first line suffering the impacts of what is caused by those big emitters."

Pacific Youth

Joining the climate call of the Pacific youth is Chairman of the Pacific Youth Council, Mahoney Mori, the youth representative of the Federated States of Micronesia. Mori urged the Secretary General to recognise the unique challenges faced by Pacific Islands communities. 

“Despite the commendable pledges from the United Nations and world leaders such as the Paris Agreement, the existing global finance mechanisms still hindered community based and youth organizations from accessing critical support. The Pacific’s Grassroots Organisations struggle to meet global standards amidst this crisis and time is running out," he said.

The President of the Malaita Provincial Youth Council of Solomon Islands Philip Subu called for support for education in times of natural disasters.

Senior Medical officer from Vaiola Hospital Joseph Ta’ai called for health resilience, stressing the importance of mental health and mental wellbeing in the community, in the face of climate disasters.

After the dialogue, Guterres conducted a site visit to coastal communities in the eastern district of Tongatapu.