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The Esperanza, escorted into port by local canoes, will receive an official welcome by the Cook Island’s Environment Minister Ngamau Munokoa. Greenpeace’s proud Pacific heritage will be echoed by the presence of ‘Te au o Tonga’, the same canoe that sailed alongside Greenpeace as part of the 1995 peace flotilla to Mururoa to protest French nuclear testing.
The Esperanza crew will visit the Cook Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu documenting the impacts of climate change, speaking to the public and meeting with Pacific activists and political leaders.
“The Australian Government’s refusal to take strong action on climate change is condemning entire nations to a watery grave. Forced mass migrations are already underway in the Pacific and will only intensify. Increasing temperatures, changing weather patterns, and threats to food security due to ocean acidification, water scarcity and salination of soil are becoming commonplace,” said Greenpeace Climate Campaigner Trish Harrup.
“Kevin Rudd is siding with the massive multinational coal companies who seem to be writing this country’s environmental policies, rather than with our neighbours in the Pacific. Pacific people will not take this lying down and are continuing to fight for climate justice,” Ms Harrup said.
Oscar-nominated star of the film ‘Whale Rider’ Keisha Castle-Hughes will be joining the Esperanza crew. On Monday, Keisha will take part in an Open Boat Day and formal dinner, before meeting the Prime Minister of the Cooks Islands to discuss the plight of Pacific Island countries.
Keisha will also travel on board the Esperanza to the next port - the popular tourist destination of Aitutaki. She will be speaking to local residents and highlighting the severe economic threat posed by climate change.
Greenpeace Pacific Political Advisor, Seni Nabou said the ship will provide a powerful communications platform for Pacific Islanders to tell their stories and help make their voices heard by regional and international leaders.
“Pacific Islanders must no longer tolerate climate change impacts caused by preventable first world emissions. We need to send this message to the rest of the world as they prepare to finalise a global climate treaty in Copenhagen in December,” she said.
Greenpeace will meet with Pacific leaders who will play a crucial role in the climate change negotiations both at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Cairns later this year, and at the Copenhagen Climate Meeting in December.
Earlier this year the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), which includes 19 Pacific island countries, called on industrialised countries to commit to slashing their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40% over the next decade.
For further information contact:
Communications Officer: Keiller MacDuff 0429 033 411
Campaigner: Trish Harrup 00 11 682 79781 (On board – Cook Islands is 20 hours behind AEST)
Email: keiller.macduff@greenpeace.org
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