Pacific island national leaders declare climate emergency

SUVA, Fiji (AP) — Pacific island national leaders have declared a climate emergency and agreed to try to bring Kiribati back to the region’s main diplomatic grouping. Kiribati announced it had withdrawn from the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum ahead of a leaders’ summit in Fiji this week. The move was seen as a sign of China’s growing influence in the region. Australian Associated Press reported after seeing a soon-to-be released communique that the leaders “welcomed and fully supported” the new Australian government’s commitment to the forum’s climate change priorities. Australia, the wealthiest and most populous of the forum nations, has committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by the end of the decade under a new government elected in May.