Palau president defends pre-COP climate summit in Canberra
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 03:03 · Archive
Palau's president has defended the Albanese government's pre-COP climate summit against criticism over its cost and limited attendance.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has defended the Albanese government's pre-COP climate summit against critics who questioned its value. The event, co-organised by Australia and its Pacific neighbours, drew representatives from more than 50 countries but was criticised for its $20m budget and limited attendance by world leaders. Only 14 foreign heads of state attended, with just two from outside the Pacific: Timor-Leste and Mauritius.
Mr Whipps, speaking at the Australian National University in Canberra on Wednesday after attending the summit earlier in the month in Fiji and Tuvalu, rejected criticism that focused on absent leaders. 'Media scrutiny is important but so is perspective. And while cost matters, so does value,' he said. He defended the gathering by saying 'some have dismissed the gathering by counting the leaders who were absent, rather than recognising the significance of those who came'.
The Palau president argued that Pacific nations should not be underestimated despite their size. 'The true measure of a nation's significance is not how much land it occupies but the role it plays in sustaining our shared planet,' he said. He noted that while leaders of the world's largest industrialised nations and major emitters were absent, the 'Big Ocean States' were present to shape negotiations affecting humanity's collective future.
How it is being reported
- Palau President Surangel Whipps slams criticism of Chris Bowen’s pre-COPThe president of a Pacific Island nation has slammed criticism of a Pre-COP climate change summit while in Canberra.The West Australian · 14 Oct, 02:33
- Palau President Surangel Whipps slams criticism of Chris Bowen’s pre-COPThe president of a Pacific Island nation has slammed criticism of a Pre-COP climate change summit while in Canberra.Perth Now · 14 Oct, 02:33
In this story: Surangel Whipps Jr · Palau · Australia · Fiji · Tuvalu · Timor-Leste · Mauritius
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