The United Nations Special Envoy for the Ocean wants the Pacific to use its 'unique moral authority and obligation' to lead global discussions on climate and ocean change.
Peter Thomson, President of the seventy-first session of the General Assembly, speaks to journalists, following the opening meeting of the session. Photo: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
Former Fiji ambassador to the UN, Peter Thomson, is advocating this approach ahead of the world body's Oceans Conference in Portugal next year.
The Pacific has a moral obligation to the world as stewards of the planet's largest expanse of ocean, Mr Thomson said, but more particularly it has an obligation to keep faith with future Pacific generations.
Mr Thomson addressed delegates at the Pacific Ocean Alliance meeting underway in Suva where he reiterated the UN Secretary General's observation on the 'inspiring leadership' Pacific leaders give on ocean issues, according to Pacnews.
He said this is readily apparent on the world stage.
In the Pacific, with the co-ordination of the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, Mr Thomson said, the region is moving to meet those aspirations.
He singled out Fiji and Vanuatu as regional and global leaders in declaring a 100 percent marine spatial plan for its EEZ and the banning of single use plastics, respectively.
Mr Thomson said the battle to end the plastic plague will not be an easy one to win.
He said like the tobacco industry before it, the plastic industry is aware of the public's growing dismay.
But the ambassador said remedial action is beginning, but green-washing is also growing.
