Some Pacific Island countries who agreed to limit the increase in global average temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius or less post 2012, during the Pacific Island Leaders Forum in Australia last month, have now agreed on a different limit on the increase in temperatures in the UN meeting currently underway in New York.

Fijivillage News has received confirmation that some small Pacific island countries agreed in the UN meeting that the limit on the increase in global average temperatures be 1.5 degrees celsius.

This has been a change of stance by the small island states.

However we have also received information that prior to the Forum Leaders Meeting in Cairns, 6 small island states - namely Tuvalu, Kiribati, Niue, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands and Palau had agreed to 1.5 degrees limit on global temperatures.

This stance was taken by them as they said that alot of attention is needed on global warming as the effects of climate change has affected not only small island countries livelihood, but their day-to-day life and viability.
   
The final outcome changed to 2 degree Celsius limit in the Cairns Forum, as the other countries backed Australia's target of 2 degrees or less.

Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly in their meeting underway in New York, have agreed that the new global average temperature would be 1.5 degrees post 2012.

When asked why the change, the Pacific Islands Secretariat Regional and International Advisor, Coral Pasisi clarified that UN has an "Alliance of smaller island countries", consisting of 43 members who all have different circumstances and that not all Forum Island countries are part of the Alliance.

The Secretariat revealed that Australia and New Zealand, who were members of the Pacific Island Leaders Forum, were not part of the Alliance.

Fiji was not part of the Forum Island Leaders meeting in Cairns.