Tuvalu at Copenhagen: 'The Fate Of My Country Rests In Your Hands'

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/12/13/tuvalu-fate-senate/ 12/12/09: Ian Fry, the Tuvalu delegate to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, makes an impassioned plea for legally binding agreements to be made by world leaders to save his nation and other low-lying island states.

He notes that is is "an irony of the modern world that the fate of the world is being determined by some senators in the US Congress," and suggests that President Obama earn his Nobel Peace Prize by addressing the greatest threat to humanity and to security: climate change.

Tearfully, he concludes: "The fate of my country rests in your hands."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Tuvalu
• Copenhagen
• COP15
• climate change
• global warming
• Obama
• AOSIS

[tokenism]

the funniest thing about this video and this guy Ian Fry,he lives in Australia just on the outskirts of Canberra in a city called Queanbeyan.

What a nonsense this has become,here he is crying about his country Tuvalu and he does not even live there!!!!!

[climatebrad]

@tokenism The population of Tuvalu is 12,000. They live at a substinence level. Not exactly surprising that they're not brimming with international treaty negotiators.

[nanonadz]

This video brought tears to my eyes. Very touching. I'm with Tuvalu.

[terraalert]

Many are fighting for you, for Tuvalu! Fighting against the monsters who would allow your country to disappear. Please don't despair, the voice of reason will prevail!

[MrDJAK28]

hey fuck all of you who saying shit about tuvalu you dont know what its like to have your country being taken away by some countries who dont give a shit about what they are doing to the environment and that Ian fry is the man at least he is doing something about it why isnt a tuvaluan representing the country you know why??ill tell you why because they talk too much and no action...hey america make an effort and fix this mess you left your rusty tanks on my island and your rusty bullets.

[delryn256]

If oil reserves were suddenly found under Tuvalu, you can bet the fucking Yanks would have 50,000 troops on the ground in 5 seconds. Since the country is small and meaningless to the fat cats of the major pollution causing countries, nothing will be done. Not just for Tuvalu. I mean nothing will be done until the sea levels rise enough to threaten some multi-millions dollar investment properties on coasts around the world.

[atanke07]

with all due respect, I would have preferred a Tuvaluan native to plead for our case instead of Mr Fry who reside elsewhere. Because this should have been delivered from the HEART with heartfelt emotions...I love you Tuvalu. By the way we are still standing while the world around us is belted by natural disasters and civil unrest. Tuvalu mo te Atua.

[FOTOFOTA]

@tokenism In reality, he puts his feet in the islands' shoes and talks as a resident of the island. Put yourself in their situation with sinking island and it was caused by the world community and you gotta have someone to help you and that is exactly what he does.

[adrenalynn22]

This is an amazing speech and one that will be revisited in history, I'm sure. To the non-believers of global warming; whether it is real or not - WHAT IS SO BAD ABOUT WANTING TO CONTROL EMISSIONS LEVELS AND OUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT? I think it's absolutely ABSURD that people spend hours debating whether or not there is climate change - who the f. cares! What's so bad about wanting to be environmentally responsible that are getting people offended?

[waterforpeople]

Allowing a country to die all for your GD money. Humans make me sick.

[cymonebreathe]

Shame that the whole world was waiting on just a few people to make up their damn minds to do the right thing and do it swiftly.

[SteveWrathall]

Meanwhile research by University of Auckland has shown that most Pacific atolls have increased in size over the last 60 years. Another phoney catastrophe bites the dust.

[Rustyshackleford08]

HAHAHA!

Islands are getting bigger and thanks to Climategate now we know this was all a tax scam to decrease the population. Oh well.

[brutalmurder131]

@cotullaguy

iT WILL AFFECT EVERYBODY INCLUDING YOU, DONT YOU SEE THAT?