Cocos Islands Left in the Lurch as Australia Focuses on Pacific Climate Efforts

Residents of Australia's remotest territory feel they are being left behind in the government's global climate change efforts ahead of a major international forum.

The federal government recently hosted pre-meetings in Tuvalu and Fiji to raise the voices of Pacific Island nations, but residents of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands say they have been overlooked, despite facing similar climate threats like flooding and coastal erosion.

Missed Opportunity

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands made a bid to be represented at the upcoming COP31 forum, and their application was approved by the United Nations. However, they were not selected for funding by the Australian government, with the delegation informed of their unsuccessful bid just before this week's talks.

Their panel proposal, submitted by the University of Western Australia's Oceans Institute, would have highlighted the challenges faced by the Cocos (Keeling) Islands as a low-lying island community.

Home Island resident Luluk Sloan said the COP31 forum presented an opportunity to bring global awareness to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.