EU questions Pacific forum's stance on climate change
© 2000 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
August 21, 2001
The European Union (EU) has questioned why this year's Pacific Island Forum leaders' meeting in Nauru seemed to avoid the issue of logging in its discussions on climate change.
The head of the European Commission's general directorate for development, Christian Falkowski, says he is astonished that despite containing a strong statement about rising sea levels, the forum's final communiquÈ makes no mention of the Pacific's own contribution to global warming.
Mr Falkowski told members in their post-forum discussions today that the rate at which the rain forests of Melanesia were being logged was of concern to the world.
Mr Falkowski says by logging these Pacific nations contribute to climate change.
"If that forest is cut down, then these countries in the negative sense are contributing to global warming and I must remark that I'm astonished that it's not reflected in the communiquÈ of the forum," Mr Falkowski said.
"There's no reference at all to it."