On April 3, 4, and 5, in an unprecedented event, the “Pacific Leaders Summit” was held. Municipal leaders, authorities, and civil organizations from New Zealand, Palau, Fiji, Tuvalu, Tonga, as well as France (French Polynesia), the United States (Hawaii), Ecuador (Galapagos), and Chile (Rapa Nui, Chiloé, and Juan Fernández), gathered to discuss plastic pollution in the Pacific, invited by our Tavana Pedro Edmunds.
The summit concluded with the signing of an 18-point declaration at Ahu Nau Nau in Anakena, committing to accelerate actions against plastic pollution. It is expected that this treaty will be ready by the end of 2024 and effective by the end of the year, differing from other international agreements due to its specific focus on plastic pollution.
Felipe Nahoe, president of Koro Nui O Te Vaikava, our local sea council, states: “It would be good for the United Nations to create a special fund for the affected islands in the future, and charge it, for example, to countries with industrial ships fishing in the Pacific Ocean. How? These ships should pay a percentage to be distributed among the islands to have resources to at least control the pollution that reaches us, as the waste mainly comes from industrial fishing. We don’t manufacture the plastic, developed countries do, and hopefully, they’ll close the tap a bit in that regard as well. We will never be able to eliminate this problem, in my opinion, but with measures like these, perhaps it could be somewhat controlled.”
Meanwhile, Fiji’s Minister Maciu Nalumisa reflects: “The most valuable lesson learned from the Summit is the commitment shown by all participating Pacific Island Countries towards a common voice globally in protecting our ocean and, very importantly, in the fight against plastic waste elimination from the ocean. The signing of the Declaration signifies the total commitment of all countries to global actions, along with supporting strategies, towards the elimination of plastic use, as it represents a significant environmental threat to our ocean and our island economies.”
On Friday the 5th, prior to the declaration signing, a large coastal cleanup was carried out by Te Mau O Te Vaikava, the Sea Table. “During the cleanup, where all the attending leaders participated, they were very surprised and impressed by the amount of microplastics that can be found on our island, and furthermore, they praised the initiative with the procedures and protocols associated with its implementation. It has been very positive because of the initiative, not so much for the results, which are overwhelming. It was a perfect opportunity to show the issues we face as an island,” says Ludovic Tuki, organization president.
