The Greenhouse effect and its relevance to the Pacific Basin : a paper by the Rt. Hon Geoffrey Palmer, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Environment of New Zealand given at Pacific Maritime Collegium, East-West Center, Hawaii, November 1988

Abstract

Geoffrey Palmer,of New Zealand attaat'tSOUTH PACIFIC REGIONAL ENVIBONMENT PROGRAMME. (SPREP)SOLrIH PACIEIC COJITMISSIONNOUMEA, NEW C.ALEDONTASPREP OCEASIOXAL PAFER SERIESNO. {TI{E GNEENIIOUSU ET'FECTAND ITS RELEVANCE TO THEPACIFIC BASIN.A paper by thc Rt Eon Gcofrey Palmer,Dcputy Plirre Miniater and Minirter lor tbeEuvirtminqt of Ner Zealrnd giv€u SPaciftc Mar*irne Oollegirua, Eeat-Wcrt Orator,, Eawaii,l{ovcmber f,988[lre author has klndly glven pernl.ssLon f,or tJre South Pacific RegionalEnvironnent Progranme (SPREP) to r€-ptoduce this paper for use in thespREp ogcAsrq$Al, pApER SERTES. TtrLs e.Dables us to df.ssemlnate vaLuablelnf,olmaEign to Uhe region ln a speedy, and eost-ef,feetive nanner, is rlgbt in a Facific nation. politlcaL llfe-ties eith role in ald stability vigorous supporter help decide a climte It is tray cause the loss Of roads the Paciflc. severe envirpn:aenlal ts like1y Tbe second dioxide, rater ozone and has alsoand decaylng 1s belleved bhan carbonof al1 is only only about 3 and 7 degrees fahren-beiil.'I'bese f1gr.:res are oentloned conoaly today- But please bewarnedt These cnanges will not suddeniy stop- 2030 is sinply Sj.silarLy, depletion weafher events of the uay be a result our natr:ral of cllsate 6preseobly galnlDg coBslderable lllternatlonaL acclaln.Llt,tle ls kroorJ'a of the IlkeIy resPonse of Paclflc Islandagrlcultr:ral systeos. Wltb, depletlon of the ozone layer plant growthniy Ue stunted by will rise have been water supplles'political lnsLliutions tbe Feierated of Kiribati, a regional of Pacific oun c:ul :n lhe But the HeTherearecertalnlyhop,efulslgns.Iet,beUnltedStates'leglslatlon bas been i.nirodueed bo slor dona lbe eoission ofgreenhouse gases.Tbe drafb law requlres a 20i reduction in emj.ssions of carbondioxide over tbe next tnelve years. It also seeks to reduce fossilfuel consr.rnption and pronote tbe use of renerable etrer8y sources 'in Australla a uirr Vienna Coovention part of to half is effecti-ve. has slgned to linit l{e want He want want on tbe resu]tslU"y *"ttt for t-ant. i for betier io link plethora ofIocal autboritles of effort' to nonitor or:r unlque the Paclfic-Wonld Comoission report, says: to relafively at lhe of Pacli;c us so on by a lifestyle 1976 513 ft is to refine 10. Association oiher countrles. !n the nore tban and theA Study llawaij. Press.Press.for tbe Eavironnent. (1988b). Pollution andllazard,ous Substances Envfunnquent and