Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi  has reassured the world leaders that Samoa as a small island developing state stands with other SIDS and vulnerable nations to fully support the call for global temperature rise to be kept at below 1.5 degrees.

Tuilaepa made the call in Paris on Monday at the 21st Session of the Conference of Parties (COP21) of the UN climate change according to Secretariat of the Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

“It is an ideal and moral goal to save planet earth. The agreement here in Paris must be durable with principled actions. It must also have a strong sense of ownership from all parties to meet the commitments they make here in Paris,” said Tuilaepa.

Citing one of the impacts of climate change in the Pacific every year — the Samoan leader said Tropical Cyclone Tuni was moving towards islands in the region, “and we can expect many more during this cyclone season.”

“The devastation of these cyclones are a major setback to our economic development,” said Tuilaepa.

In his address, Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull announced that his government joins 150 other countries in calling for a strong and effective global agreement at the end of COP21.

He reiterated Australia’s support to build resilience of Small Island Developing States in the Pacific that are at the frontline of the climate change, through practical actions.

Mr Turnbull announced that Canberra will provide $1billion over five years to help build resilience of Pacific Island nations and reduce emissions.

Australia also announced that it will ratify the second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol.

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