The head of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme says agreeing to the Paris Climate Agreement rule book at this week's summit in Katowice, Poland is essential to avert global climate disaster.
Arguably COP24's most important goal, the so-called rule book will provide a way to verify and monitor countries' progress on their commitments to reduce green-house gas emissions.
Scientists warn that instead of the 2 degree target or 1.5 degree aspiration of the Paris Agreement, global temperatures are currently set to rise by 4 degrees by century's end.
This would lead to an irreversible sea-level-rise of 5-6 metres in the coming centuries.
SPREP's director Kosi Latu told Dominic Godfrey the rule book is the path back to the Paris Agreement's goals.
The image from the cover of the book, the Invading Sea. Photo: Cuba Press