Australia's standing in Pacific has plummeted because of our climate change failure | Dermot O'Gorman

It's about the very survival of people, nations and cultures. If action isn't taken there are islanders who may have nowhere to go

Scott Morrison flew to the Solomon Islands last weekend to "show our Pacific step-up in action" but this policy will fail if his government doesn't take meaningful action on climate change. A successful step-up must include stopping our own pollution, defending the sovereignty of our friends in the Pacific and offering a safety net to those who may need it.

Over the past five years Australia's standing in the Pacific has declined dramatically because of an unwillingness to take strong action on climate change. It's not as if the Pacific hasn't been clear. From female fishers to the Fijian prime minister, to remote communities in the Solomon Islands, climate change is a top-order issue. It's about the very survival of people, nations and cultures. If action isn't taken, in 40 years there are people in Pacific island states who may have nowhere to go.