AUDIO: Marshall Islands angry at Tony Abbott’s dismissal of climate change-bushfire link

AUDIO: Marshall Islands angered by Australian PM Tony Abbott’s dismissal of climate change link to bushfires http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/an-marshalls-bushfires/5044714 The Marshall Islands Government is unhappy at Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s dismissal of a link between the bushfires in New South Wales, and climate change……Senator Tony de Brum, the Minister in Assistance to the Marshall Islands President, said while it is difficult to tie any one event to climate change, his country is concerned at Mr Abbott’s dismissal of the issue…….”We’ve been watching the fires in Australia over the past few years and can say that we’ve been impressed with their ferocity and the threat that they project to our friends in that part of the world,” he told Pacific Beat.

“But I don’t think that we should just wave this thing off as something that is natural to Australia and is part of life in Australia and therefore not connected in any way to climate change.”

Senator de Brum said Australia should first be looking inward to what it is doing to fight against the impact of climate change.

“Just last month with the blessing of the new Environment Minister Greg Hunt, the Australian Government committed to being a climate leader by supporting the Majuro Declaration for climate leadership – this was the key outcome of the Pacific Island Forum,” he said.

“Australia should step up and be a leader in climate change and not be a laggard.”