S1E114: COP28: Vanuatu climate minister on the 'loss and damage' fund

A fund to pay highly vulnerable countries for loss and damage
from climate impact, was finally initiated at the COP28 climate
talks in Dubai. 


Synopsis: The Straits Times' climate editor David Fogarty is at
COP28 from Nov 23 till Dec 12 in Dubai, the United Nations
climate change conference.


The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is a remote chain of about
80 islands, many of them mountainous, with a total population of
over 300,000 people. It has suffered devastating cyclones, rising
sea levels, coral bleaching from warming oceans and other
impacts, costing its people and the economy dearly.


Each major disaster drains the budget and sets the country back,
with damaged houses, roads, schools and hospitals needing to be
repaired or rebuilt.


Vanuatu has long championed the idea of a fund to pay highly
vulnerable countries for the loss and damage from climate impact.
And it has been a strident voice pushing for big polluting
nations to face up to their responsibilities for the human rights
impacts caused by their emissions. 


Vanuatu, along with other Pacific island nations, is calling for
a total phase out of fossil fuels to try to save their nations at
COP28. 


In this episode, recorded at COP28, ST's David Fogarty hosts Mr
Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change and the
Environment, who is a leading voice for ambitious climate action.


Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):


0:56 Why is Vanuatu so vulnerable to climate change impacts?


3:14 How are the worsening impacts affecting people and the
economy?


5:51 Vanuatu’s role in pushing for big polluters to take
responsibility for the impact of their emissions


11:50 Australia is a major donor but also a major fossil fuel
exporter. How best to manage that relationship?


17:50 Is there a limit to what Pacific island nations can
withstand in terms of climate impacts? What does the future look
like?


Produced by: David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and
Amirul Karim


Edited by: Amirul Karim


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