At the opening of the latest round of international climate talks in Bonn, Germany, Ambassador Marlene Moses, Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), a group of 44 low-lying and coastal countries that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, released the following statement:
“These negotiations open against the backdrop of recent findings by the IPCC Working Groups 2 and 3 for the 5th Assessment Report, which identified the unique vulnerabilities faced by Island Nations due to the impacts of climate change.
“In light of the latest science and the worsening climate impacts unfolding before our eyes – including sea level rise, intensifying droughts and floods, as well as threats to our public health and food and water resources – it is apparent that immediate action immediate action is absolutely critical to Island Nations. Indeed, the latest IPCC Report also identifies numerous proven policy and technology solutions for rapidly and cost effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions, many of which bring significant economic and public health benefits.
We welcome the engagement by Ministers at this meeting and hope that the new focus on climate solutions under Workstream 2 of the ADP helps pave the way to increased ambition and bold new initiatives and actions at the UN Secretary General’s Summit in September.
“The work we do at the UNFCCC provides an indispensible multilateral framework for tackling the climate crisis and we hope to make measurable progress in key areas of the negotiations during this session, including:
• A further elaboration of the elements to be included in the final 2015 agreement; and
• Identification of the information needed to allow parties to present their information in a manner that facilitates clarity, transparency, and an understanding of their nationally determined contributions.
“Additionally, finance is an integral building block of the 2015 agreement. The 2015 agreement MUST contain commitments by developed country Parties and provisions to ensure scaled-up, adequate long term, predictable, new and additional finance to support mitigation and adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change in developing countries.
“Finally, Loss and damage due to the impacts of climate change is a reality for AOSIS and it must therefore be part of the 2015 agreement. Loss and Damage must be a separate element under the new agreement. It should form a separate area of negotiation and warrants specific discussion in a separate session.”
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