Davidson Marama: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDavidson Marama: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 November 2015. Volume:710;Page:8325. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.MARAMA DAVIDSON (Green) to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: What plans does New Zealand have to help our Pacific Island neighbours given that the Prime Minister of Tuvalu Enele Sopoaga has recently appealed to New Zealand to “stand with us Pacific Islands countries and increase their commitments”?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Acting Minister for Climate Change Issues): We are already committed to assisting Pacific Island countries to develop their responses to climate change. In Tuvalu alone we have invested $10 million filling in borrow pits that were dug to build runways in the Second World War. This has increased Tuvalu’s usable land area by 8 percent and has been designed specifically to account for the projected 100-year sea-level rise. We have also invested $20 million to support Tuvalu’s renewable energy goals and as a result Tuvalu’s outer islands will get 90 percent of their electricity from New Zealand - funded solar panels.Marama Davidson: Given that for small Pacific Island nations the outcome of the upcoming climate talks in Paris is a matter of survival will he instruct New Zealand delegates at those talks to push for a more comprehensive plan acknowledging that they are the lowest emitters paying the highest price?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I think we already have that fair and ambitious intended nationally determined contribution and target heading into Paris—30 percent reductions in emissions below 2005 levels by 2030. I think it is ambitious in the sense that it is more than we have done previously. It is comparable with what other countries do and it reflects our national circumstances. As I have already said I think we also support our Pacific friends with the many programmes we run in the Pacific but ultimately I will come back to it probably the best thing we can do in addition to our own efforts is work hard on an ambitious binding agreement in Paris and that is certainly what we are going to try to do.Marama Davidson: Given that this Government seems to rely solely on aid does he realise that all the aid in the world will not stop sea-level rise with the President of Kiribati Anote Tong making it quite clear—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Bring the question to a conclusion.Marama Davidson: —“No matter how much aid we cannot be bought on this one because it is about the future.”?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Well there is much more than aid. There are the things that we do in New Zealand the things we take to Paris and our own intended nationally determined contribution. I would not be as that member seems to be dismissive of the very significant work we do in the Pacific whether it is in water security with several million dollars’ worth of work with low-lying Pacific Island countries whether it is in renewables with $100 million worth of work or whether it is in other areas I think New Zealanders should be very proud of that work. I am sure that our friends in the Pacific indeed the ones I have talked to are really appreciative of what we are doing to help them.Marama Davidson: Will those renewable energy options like solar panels which you have just referred to and that the Minister is so proud of still work under water?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No.