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Vice President Alik Pleaded to World Leader's for Immediate Action to Address Adverse Impacts of Climate Change

Palikir, POHNPEI (FSM Information Service): December 23, 2008 - The Honorable Vice President Alik L. Alik attended as Head of Delegation the recently concluded Climate Change Conference under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol held in Poznan, Poland from 01 - 12 December 2008.

The Vice President delivered a statement at the high-level plenary laying out the scenarios for what he said many leading climate change scientists are referring to as tipping points beyond which abrupt climate change shifts become unavoidable.

In his statement, Vice President Alik called on world policymakers to find timely and urgent solutions and reactive climate change governance in order to fast-track mitigation measures necessary to avoid such tipping points.

Speaking also at the Ministerial Roundtable in which he was invited to lead its discussion, Vice President Alik delivered an emotional plea appealing to World leaders not to view the lives of some people as more important than others or some cultures worth saving than others.

Mindful of the recent series of sea surges in the State of Kosrae and some parts of the federation, he said 'we are truly the victims not of our doing and you must help us adapt to the impact of climate change." He went on to say "on behalf of the people of my islands, I demand action".

Accompanying Vice President on the delegation were Mr. Andrew Yatilman, Director of the Office of Environment and Emergency Management (EEM), Ambassador Nakayama of the FSM Mission in New York, staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and advisors from relevant non-governmental organizations.