Kiribati president pushes Australia to back moratorium on new coalmines

Anote Tong says freeze on new coalmines before global climate summit in December 'easiest, most reasonable' way to help reduce emissions

The president of the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati, Anote Tong, has urged the Australian government to support a moratorium on new coalmines before the global climate summit in Paris in December.

Tong, who was in Melbourne for a public meeting hosted by the Australia Institute on Thursday, said it was the "easiest, most reasonable" measure world leaders could commit to to reduce emissions.