§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Tuvalu. [15605]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Pacific Island state of Tuvalu has been an independent realm within the Commonwealth since October 1978. Our relations with Tuvalu, which stretch back well over a hundred years, are warm and friendly.
Tuvalu consists of a small group of low-lying coral atolls. Potential rises in sea-levels around the world are therefore of considerable concern to the people of Tuvalu.
The United Kingdom shares Tuvalu's concerns about climate change and the effect that this is having on sea levels. We have played a leading role in encouraging a global response to climate change, and final agreement was reached on 10 November in Marrakech on a set of detailed rules for implementing the Kyoto Protocol. This gives countries the certainty they need to ratify Kyoto, and start making real reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases.