Chairs,

Thank you, distinguished Chairs of the SBI and SBSTA for convening this joint opening
plenary. We congratulate you on your appointment and look forward to continuing to work
constructively with you.

Palau has the honour to make this statement on behalf of the 39 members of the Alliance
of Small Island States.
At the outset, allow for me to align our statement with the statement delivered by Iraq on
behalf of G77 and China.

Chairs,
We do not underestimate the geopolitical challenges we face as we convene here in
Bonn. The global environment is increasingly complex, and tensions across multiple
fronts risk undermining the spirit of cooperation and trust that this process depends on.
But we cannot allow these dynamics to distract or divide us. Climate change continues to
threaten our development aspirations, and it demands our undivided attention and unified
action.

The Paris Agreement is now 10 years old, and the rules have been largely agreed. Our
focus must remain on driving its implementation and demonstrating its robustness,
durability and effectiveness. The near-universal nature of the Paris Agreement and the
UNFCCC’s status as the agreed forum for multilateral climate action demand our
continued and diligent engagement.

For AOSIS, the science remains our basic foundation. With current policies and targets,
the world is headed towards 2.7 degrees of warming by 2100, and massive overshoot is
inevitable unless emissions are reduced very quickly. The latest scientific findings indicate
that the 1.5 degree limit could be reached within just five years unless urgent action is
taken. Time is running short to course correct. For Small Island Developing States, which
the Convention and its Paris Agreement recognize as having special circumstances in
the context of climate change, limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is essential to safeguarding
our sustainable development, security, and well-being.

One of the most urgent tasks before us is to ensure that the next round of Nationally
Determined Contributions reflects this level of ambition. We call on all Parties, particularly
major emitters, to prepare and submit ambitious NDCs which are 1.5 degree aligned
before September.

As countries that are at the forefront of climate change impacts, we are feeling extreme
heat, increased flash flooding, the decline in biodiversity, and the permanent erosion of
our coastlines. We continue to demonstrate our ongoing resilience and ingenuity in the
face of threats, but we need the global community to take further action.