The Palestinians want the UN to recognize a state. And the island nation of Tuvalu wants the UN to act — now — to keep their state above water.
The high drama surrounding the historic Palestinian bid for statehood has to a degree overshadowed other issues facing the UN General Assembly, which on Saturday heard from the leaders of island nations where the impact of climate change is already having a profound effect.
They argue that the UN is moving too slowly despite many initiatives designed to reduce carbon emissions worldwide.
Tuvalu’s very future is at stake, Tuvalu Prime Minister Willy Telavi said as he urged UN members to move more quickly to limit the damage of climate change and to come up with real, practical plans to help the most vulnerable countries.
“For a small island developing state like Tuvalu, climate change is no doubt a security issue which threatens our survival,” he said, adding that time was quickly running out for his tiny island nation, located roughly halfway between Australia and Hawaii.
The low-lying country, built on nine coral atolls, is one of the most endangered Pacific Islands, but others are also at risk as sea levels rise. It is not clear if Tuvalu, with its porous coral base, can be saved without a tremendous financial commitment from the international community, which may be reluctant to invest heavily in a country with only about 12,000 residents.
The country’s leaders have faced this reality — more than a decade ago, they asked Australia and New Zealand to be willing to take in the Tuvalu residents if evacuation becomes necessary.
The problem goes well beyond the vast Pacific region.
Navinchandra Ramgoolam, prime minister of the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius — larger and more developed than Tuvalu — warned on Saturday that the threat has to be addressed more quickly if horrendous consequences are to be avoided. He said the existence of some small island nations is at stake.
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