Australia must stop coal mining immediately as a matter of urgency - Sopoaga

Former Tuvalu Prime Minister and climate champion Enele Sopoaga has questioned whether countries that accept the reality of climate change but refuse to transition away from fossil fuels are really part of the Pacific.

Sopoaga made the remarks at an intergenerational dialogue event at the UN’s annual climate change conference, COP25 in Madrid, Spain last night where he warned of the dangers of climate denialism.

Sopoaga says some of their neighbours in the region, unfortunately, are starting to behave such as that, putting dollars and economies before the livelihoods of young people.

He says officials cannot walk away from their commitment, or else they ask if they really belong to the Pacific.

Sopoaga says Australia must stop coal mining immediately as a matter of urgency.

The intervention came on the same day that Greta Thunberg arrived at COP25 and echoed the message of Pacific leaders like Sopoaga, in calling for swift climate action.

Sopoaga also extended his sympathy to those in Australia suffering from deadly bushfires that have provoked a public health crisis through dangerous levels of air pollution.