The Edmund Rice Centre and the Pacific Calling Partnership today reaffirmed their support for the leadership of the Pacific nations at the Pacific Forum in Port Moresby, and condemned the Australian leaders caught joking about the matter in Canberra.

"I am very frustrated and extremely disappointed at this news," said Ms Maria Tiimon Chi-Fang on hearing the announcement of Australia’s commitment to reduce its carbon pollution by just 26-28% by 2030 from 2005 levels. Ms Tiimon Chi-Fang who is from Kiribati is spokesperson for the Edmund Rice Centre’s Pacific Calling Partnership.

An Open Letter from NGO's to Australian Parliamentarians calling for commitment for Australia to achieve net zero carbon pollution by 2050. 

Pelenise Alofa, climate advocate and coordinator of KiriCAN – Kiribati Climate Action Network - has addressed the 28th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. 

In her address delivered today in the United Nations in Geneva Ms Alofa  called on the Human Rights Council to speak out: “We cannot continue to discuss this issue at the UNFCCC or the UN General Assembly alone. It is paramount that this Council provide a strong voice to reach the negotiations at the UNFCCC.”

In response to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention which was released yesterday, the Edmund Rice Centre joined with 201 other Australian organisations and community groups to sign a joint statement calling all members of the Australian Parliament to take action to end the detention of children.