President of Kiribati coal letter to world leaders
2
Dear On behatf of the Govemment and the people of Kiribati, allow me to begin by sharing with you all our traditional blessing of 'Kam na bane ni Mauri' - (May We Atways Be Blessed With Good Health). I am taking this opportunity to seek your indulgence and your support to lend the voice of your people to mine on a callfor a global moratorium on new coal mines, as an essential inttial step on our collective global action against climate change. I believe that as a globalcommunity we have achieved considerable progress on the climate change debate since our meeting at Copenhagen in 2009. lndeed we have lent our voices to this issue with particular emphasis on our collective moral obligation to tackle climate change as accentuated by voices as diverse as UNSG Ban KiMoon, U.S. President Obama, the G7 leaders and His Holiness Pope Francis. However, the urgency of the issue cannot be emphasized enough and it is now a matter of 'where do we go from here'. Action now is imperative for we are now facing major challenges never faced before not only from the rise in sea levels, but also from the real possibility of changes from the cunent weather paterns. lndeed the forces of nature have intensified more than ever before and are occuning with greater frequency, regrettably for most of us the consequences have been devastating. It is my firm convic{ion that as a global communi$ we can and must take action now. lndeed, in his recent encyclical letter, Pope Francis wrote 'We know that technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels - especially coal, but also oil and, to a lesser degree, gas - needs to be progressively replaced without delay." The IEA and the Bank of England join an ever growing list who see this with great clarity. Not only that but science, as confirmed by the IPCC, dictates that for the world to avoid catastrophic climate change we must leave the vast bulk of carbon reserves in the ground. Very simply, the world needs to burn less coal each year. To this effect, Kiribati as a nation faced with a very uncertain future is calling for a global moratorium on new coal mines. lt would be one positive step towards our collective gtobal action against climate change and it is my sincere hope that you and your people would add your positive support in this endeavour. Let us join together as a global community and take action now. The construction of each new coal mine undermines the spirit and intent of any agreement we may reach, particularly in the upcoming COP 21 in Paris, whilst stopping new coal mine constructions NOW will make any agreement reached in Paris truly historical.
President of Kiribati coal letter to world leaders
Anote Tong says the future of his people depends on aggressive action to halt coal burning.
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DearOn behatfoftheGovemmentandthepeople of Kiribati, allowme to
beginby sharing with youall our traditionalblessing of 'Kam na
baneni Mauri' - (MayWeAtways Be BlessedWith GoodHealth).I amtaking
this opportunityto seek yourindulgenceandyour support to
lendthevoice of yourpeople to mine on a callfor a
globalmoratoriumon newcoal mines, as an essentialinttialstepon our
collectiveglobalaction againstclimatechange.I believe thatas a
globalcommunitywe have achievedconsiderableprogresson the
climatechangedebatesinceourmeeting at Copenhagenin 2009. lndeed
wehavelent our voices tothis issue with particularemphasison our
collectivemoral obligationto tackleclimate changeas accentuatedby
voicesas diverseas UNSGBanKiMoon, U.S.PresidentObama, the
G7leadersand His HolinessPopeFrancis.However,the urgencyof
theissuecannot be emphasizedenoughand it is nowa matterof'wheredo
we go from here'.Actionnow is imperativefor we are now facingmajor
challengesnever facedbefore not only from therise in sea levels,
but also from the real possibilityofchangesfrom the cunent
weatherpaterns. lndeed the forcesof naturehave intensifiedmorethan
ever beforeand are occuningwith greater frequency,regrettably for
mostof us theconsequenceshave been devastating.It is myfirm
convic{ionthatas a globalcommuni$we can andmust
takeactionnow.lndeed,in hisrecent encyclicalletter, Pope
Franciswrote'Weknowthattechnologybased on theuseof
highlypollutingfossil fuels - especially coal, butalso oil and, to
a lesser degree, gas -needs to be progressivelyreplacedwithout
delay." The IEA and the Bank of Englandjoin anever growinglist who
see thiswithgreat clarity.Notonlythatbutscience,as confirmedby
theIPCC, dictatesthat for the worldto
avoidcatastrophicclimatechangewe must leavethevastbulkof carbon
reservesin the ground.Very simply,the world needsto burn lesscoal
eachyear.To this effect,Kiribati as a nation facedwitha very
uncertainfutureis calling for a globalmoratoriumon new coal
mines.lt wouldbe onepositive step towards our
collectivegtobalactionagainstclimatechangeandit is my sincerehope
thatyouandyourpeople wouldaddyour positivesupportin
thisendeavour.Letus join togetheras a globalcommunityandtakeaction
now.The constructionof each newcoalmine underminesthespiritand
intentof anyagreementwemayreach,particularlyin the upcomingCOP21 in
Paris, whilststoppingnewcoalmine constructionsNOW willmakeany
agreementreachedin Paristruly historical.-nqw!.'::,,,As
be&r,e,ue ha$E a moral oOtlgatbnto erlslrre @ the futwe of ow
{*iiHren, drgrya tdti*otddrcnb s*ad soctne.Fortreir sake,I wgo ),ou
to suppst thbet$'&ra rwds$ri ar rprr ood mfles*td
eodminecxpa@ts.
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