Pacific cyclone could play big role in climate talks

Pacific island nations hope that discussing the destructive Cyclone Pam could help United Nations leaders come to a strong agreement to fight climate change.

Countries like Tuvalu and Vanuatu, which estimates that 90 percent of the buildings in the capital city were destroyed or damaged in recent days by the category 5 cyclone, say they plan to discuss the cyclone in December when leaders meet in Paris, Reuters reported.

{mosads}Among other actions, they hope it will spur efforts to help poor countries better prepare for the effects of climate change.

“The [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] have stated in their most recent report that these sorts of events are going to get worse as a result of climate change, and in fact they are getting worse,” Ian Fry, Tuvalu’s negotiator for the climate talks, told Reuters.

“There’s clearly a human imprint on these cyclones now, and there needs to be something done about it.”

Vanuatu’s leaders have also linked the disaster to climate change, as has United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Low-lying, poor countries like Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Kiribati are among the most at risk from rising sea levels and more intense storms that are expected with a warming planet. It’s why they have long pushed for special aid from larger, more developed countries.

John Connor, chief executive of the Australia-based Climate Institute, told Reuters he expects that Cyclone Pam will “ratchet up anxiety and interest” from island countries in the negotiations.