The concerns of Pacific countries highly vulnerable to climate change have led to an application of pressure on Australia. The goal outlined is for the country to cease coal power generation within a 12-year span. Additionally, there are calls for the prevention of new coal plants or the expansion of existing ones. With Tuvalu recently asserting that Australia should avoid initiating new mines such as the proposed Adani project for the Carmichael mine in Queensland, the stakes are high. This call to action is based on the principles of the Boe Declaration, which was signed by Australia in September.
The Boe Declaration
The Boe Declaration has emerged from the Pacific Islands Forum as a firm affirmation that climate change poses the greatest threat to the livelihoods, security, and overall wellbeing of Pacific people. Furthermore, it acknowledges and supports the commitments and principles laid out in the Biketawa Declaration from the year 2000.
The Biketawa Declaration
In October 2000, at the 31st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Summit in Kiribati, the Biketawa Declaration was agreed upon. It serves as a framework meant to coordinate responses to regional crises. The principles of this declaration include the commitment to good governance, a belief in the individual’s liberty under the law, upholding democratic processes and institutions, and the acknowledgment of the vulnerability of member countries to security threats.
The Pacific Islands Forum
Founded in 1971, The Pacific Islands Forum is the principal political and economic policy organization in the region. Its membership stands at 18: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
| Member Countries | Year Joined |
|---|---|
| Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga | 1971 |
| Fiji, Papua New Guinea | 1971 |
| Solomon Islands, Tuvalu | 1978 |
| Vanuatu | 1980 |
| Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru | 1990 |
The Striving for Co-operation and Prosperity
The Pacific Islands Forum has an aspirational goal to boost co-operation between governments, collaborate with international agencies, and represent the interests of its members. The aim is to create a region characterised by peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity, thus enabling Pacific people to live free, healthy, and productive lives.
India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway
The Trilateral Highway—an ambitious project connecting India, Myanmar, and Thailand—receives pressure from Thailand’s envoy to hasten negotiations on a motor vehicles pact. This nearly 1,400-km highway is set to significantly augment trade in Southeast Asia and plays a crucial role in India’s “Act East” policy. It is predicted to be completed by 2021, with the National Highways Authority of India acting as the technical executive agency and project management consultant.
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo
A recent test flight of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic spacecraft, SpaceShipTwo, achieved a milestone by reaching over 50 miles above the Mojave Desert in California – the boundary of space. This achievement takes us one step closer to the reality of commercial space tourism.
