A plea to turn hope into certainty

The following is the full text of the PM’s speech at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Nanette Woonton who led the Pacific Media Team reported that following the speech the PM was overwhelmed by the occassion.

Mr President, thank you for this opportunity to address this very important conference.
Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates – I extend to you greetings in my language: Kia Orana.
Literally, these words of greeting mean: “may you live on”. Kia Orana expresses the hope that not only one as an individual lives on but that one’s lineage also lives on into the future. So once again let me greet the world by saying: “Kia Orana, may we ALL live on”.
Mr President, I address you today to bring to the leaders of the world the plea of my people that they may continue to “live on” in their own country for generations to come.
At the outset, the Cook Islands supports the statements made by Grenada on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States – AOSIS.
To the Cook Islands people this conference represents hope – ‘Hopenhagen’ for the hope of my people who are already experiencing the adverse effects of climate change – the loss of their homes, loss of their foods’ sources, their churches, the graves of their departed ones, and fearful for the impending loss of their land and therefore their livelihoods, culture, identity and sense of belonging as a people.
Mr President, the Cook Islands has contributed very little to the problem of Climate Change. Yet we are paying so dearly for it.
The science is clear. What more evidence do we need? Even the pledges on the table right now do not guarantee the future of our children.
Each year, the world comes together with the intention of moving forward on Climate Change. Almost two decades later, the talking has not delivered enough.
Now is the time.
Now is the time to put words into serious action.
Sadly Mr President, from what I have been hearing, some parties are not willing to respect our right – our right to survive.
My people want a fair, legally binding agreement from this Conference – an agreement that would secure a meaningful reduction in emissions, and guarantee support for adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change.
We stand to lose everything. But this loss and damage is morally unacceptable, and humanly unjust.
I have come a long way to give you this message. And it will be a long journey home to tell my people that this plea for their future survival has fallen on deaf ears.
The opportunity is now. Let the cry of the world be heard in Copenhagen and turn hope into certainty. Say “yes” now to a fair and legally-binding agreement.
Kia orana e kia manuia.

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