Small island developing states complained that they were not in the room today when the COP28 plenary adopted the agreement to move away from fossil fuels, a text they did not consider ambitious enough to secure their future.
“We are a bit confused about what just happened: it seems that you made the decisions and the small island developing states were not in the room,” Samoa negotiator Anne Rasmussen told the COP28 president after the ‘ Global Balance’ in the plenary session.
Rasmussen specified that the group of island developing countries, the most threatened by climate change, were “working hard” to coordinate the 39 small states that are “disproportionately affected” by the climate crisis and that made them late to the session, which immediately approved the ‘Global Balance’.
“This process has failed us,” he lamented, and although he thanked the presidency for its “hard work” and highlighted the importance of the ‘Global Balance’ to reinforce climate action, he commented that “it still does not ensure the necessary course correction.” ”.
The Samoan then began to list the points in the text in which these island states did not feel heard, mentioning for example the “litany of loopholes” in the agreement, which would allow countries to continue polluting.
“We have moved forward little by little, when what we really need is an exponential change in our actions and our support,” he said, adding that “we must leave here with a set of decisions that respond to the magnitude of the climate crisis, to the expectations that the world has placed on us and what is needed to ensure the future of future generations.”
At the end of his speech, followed by a standing ovation from the public – including tears – other countries contributed their comments to the recently approved agreement: most of them positive.
The Spanish Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, who later intervened on behalf of the EU Council – of which Spain now holds the presidency -, came after making a public statement to speak with some representatives of these island states, such as the special envoy of the Marshall Islands climate, Tina Stege.
Despite the disagreement, other island states that belong to this alliance applauded the agreement, as is the case of Barbados, among others.
“When the dust settles and dawn breaks, this will be considered one of the most historic COPs,” declared Avinash Persaud, special climate envoy for Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, once again defending the “pragmatic ambition.”
“Today we have committed to tripling investment in renewables and making a just transition away from fossil fuels. Some activists were disappointed that we did not commit to an immediate phase-out (…) However, without trade, investment and funding to achieve this would either have affected developing countries more or would not have made sense,” Persaud said.
“The path to the elimination of fossil fuels first involves massive financial flows for a huge investment in renewable energy,” said the economist, adding: “Now we have a plan to achieve it.”