Pacific leaders have pledged their commitment to strong climate action, as reported by the Office of the President of the Marshall Islands

Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum today adopted the Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership, marking a critical step in the region’s efforts to accelerate the global response to the climate crisis that is the greatest threat to the security, livelihoods and well-being of the peoples of the Pacific, and other vulnerable countries worldwide.

In a concise and focused way, the Declaration highlights the Pacific’s political commitment to be a region of Climate Leaders, and its effort to spark a “new wave of climate leadership” that accelerates the reduction and phasing down of greenhouse gas emissions. It is also the first text of its kind to encourage commitments from both governments and non-state actors, including cities, companies and other organizations and is intended to complement and build momentum under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at a crucial time.

At tomorrow’s Post-Forum Dialogue, the Marshall Islands, as Forum Chair, will encourage the Forum’s 13 Dialogue Partner countries to sign on to the Declaration, and to submit climate commitments that ramp up action in the Pacific region and beyond. The Forum’s Dialogue Partners include the United States, China, Japan, Republic of Korea and India, as well as the European Union and some of its Member States, including the United Kingdom and France.

As agreed today by Forum members, RMI President Loeak will travel to New York in late September to present the Majuro Declaration to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during General Assembly Leaders’ week (from 23 September). He will offer the Declaration as a “Pacific gift” to the UN Secretary-General’s strong efforts to catalyze more ambitious climate action by calling together world leaders in September 2014, and to mobilize political will for a universal, ambitious and legally binding climate change agreement by 2015.

Speaking after the adoption of the Majuro Declaration, President Loeak, said:

“We want our Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership to be a game changer in the global fight against climate change. Forged on the frontlines of climate change’s devastating impacts, we hope it gives new impetus and accelerates the transition to the low-carbon economy.”

“We’ve had a strong meeting of minds here on the urgency of the problem, but the real work begins now. We need the rest of the world to follow the Pacific’s lead. I look forward to making that case during meetings with fellow Leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month.”

“As Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum for the next 12 months, my absolute priority will be to fight for a safe climate future for my people, the Pacific region, and indeed the entire world. We must seize this moment, and rededicate ourselves to ensuring that a new wave of climate leadership takes hold.”

For more information, please visit http://www.majurodeclaration.org