Over 40% of Vanuatu’s GDP comes from tourism. Since they are a group of islands, the vast majority will arrive on either a fossil fueled ship or a fossil fueled airplane. There are 30 airports scattered throughout the islands (not all are for international flights, mind you). They get the vast majority of their electricity, over 80%, from fossil fuels. Yet
Low-lying Vanuatu is considering suing fossil fuel companies and industrialised countries that use them for their role in creating catastrophic climate change, the foreign minister of the Pacific island nation said on Thursday.
The comments came as the UN World Meteorological Organisation warned that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had hit a new record in 2017, with no sign of slowing down.
Vanuatu, with an estimated population of 280,000 people spread across roughly 80 islands, is among more than a dozen Pacific island nations that already face rising sea levels and more regular storms that can wipe out much of their economies.
Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu said it was time that some of the billions of dollars of profits fossil fuel companies generate every year goes towards the damage they cause in countries like “desperate” Vanuatu.
“This is really about claiming for the damages,” he told Reuters in an interview.
So, this is a shakedown. Said fossil fuels companies should refuse to sell their product to the government of Vanuatu if the suit is filed, but, what the nation is really hoping for is some free climate cash, especially from the fossil fuels companies.
“My government is now exploring all avenues to utilize the judicial system in various jurisdictions – including under international law – to shift the costs of climate protection back on to fossil fuel companies, the financial institutions and the governments that actively and knowingly created this existential threat to my country,†he said.
So, when will the islands nation give up its own use of fossil fuels?
Anyhow, we’ve mentioned that the seas are barely rising around the nation, and, in fact, the nation is growing. They are just trying to play the Victim to get Other People’s money.
It’s simple: the oil companies should simply cease selling their products in Vanuatu, and watch every automobile and truck on the island grind to a halt. The oil companies should refuse to sell any fuel to companies which either fly or sail to Vanuatu, unless they are assured, with civil penalties assessed, if they do fuel planes or ships to head to Vanuatu. Only licensed sailing ships should be exempt, and even they should not be allowed to carry any fuel for backup engines or generators.
Ms. Delaney may have missed a point or two.
Oil companies are in the business of selling fuel. Wouldn’t all the fossil fuel suppliers have to agree (collude) to enact the ban? How would they prevent secondary sellers from supplying Vanuatu?
How does an oil company assess a civil penalty? Wouldn’t they need the cooperation of governments?
Conservatives always seem eager to use governments to attack others.
I think that is the perfect response to the goofy ass Climate Change boondoogle.