PRIME Minister James Marape has announced he will be releasing a formal letter today to the White House in the United States.
This letter will follow PM Marape’s earlier statement to US President Donald Trump, asking him to reconsider his withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and current global climate efforts.
In a press conference yesterday, the Prime Minister said he is in close communication with other Pacific Island Nations to come up with a collective position to President Trump’s withdrawal.
“PNG is absolutely clear that we live in a time when climate change related adversities are hitting the planet,” PM said.
“The hardest and greatest effect is faced by those of us, that had a least cause to global warming and climate change related issues,” he explained.
“And so, my letter will go to US because United States is a great partner nation to us and of our foundational partner nation.
“I am sure they will take into considerations our legitimate and valid concerns,” PM Marape said.
The Prime Minister also revealed that he had received news from the United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, advising Prime Minister Marape of his press release being circulated, to Washington.
He made known to the US ambassador to PNG that a letter will also follow to ensure the concerns are formally remitted to President Trump.
“I intend to work with our Pacific Island Nations to continue advocating that we cannot allow fossil fuel and climate changes to take place.
“USA, China, Japan, Germany, Australia and all the industrialized nations have not shut one coal plant since 2015,” he highlighted.
The Prime Minister expressed that most of the consequences of the global warming have been evident in the Pacific Island nations.
PM Marape further highlighted that global warming is increasing every year.
“For us is life or death, and for them they could live with effect of typhoon and fires and everything because they are big economy.
“They can subsume the effect in their economy,” PM Marape stated.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister acknowledged the work of the US throughout the entire planet having the loads to pay for every one’s military expenses.
PM Marape is therefore confident President Trump would have an alternate solution.
“As a nation that is friend to us in the Pacific, we know he (Trump) will take heed to our cries and possibly have alternate solutions,” Marape concluded.
