Small island states ask for more help to tackle global warming

NEW YORK – Small island states, which are among the most remote and vulnerable to global warming, say they are being seriously harmed by developed countries.

A statement by the Association of Small Island States (AOSIS), which has 39 members including Singapore, released in New York on Wednesday, September 22, said its members were encouraged that the United States would double its fundraising effort. climate in developing countries in the United States. $ 11.4 billion (S $ 15.4 billion) per year by 2024.

But he noted that more ambition is needed from world powers to close the climate and development gaps.

“Funding the root causes of climate change is exponentially more important than funding the response to climate change,” said the AOSIS Leaders’ Statement – its first in seven years.

“The financial mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provided only US $ 2.5 billion in 2018 to developing countries, with SIDS (Small Island Developing States) receiving a share tiny of about 245 million US dollars, “he said.

“The overall breakdown of financial support between mitigation and adaptation to date is 80% and 20% respectively, with only 2% of climate finance made available to SIDS, half of which is in the form of loans,” he added. , asking for more help.

Separately this week, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that climate finance from developed countries to small island developing states fell back to 2017 levels in 2019, from $ 2.1 billion in 2018. to $ 1.5 billion.

Meanwhile, at least US $ 1.6 trillion has been spent on fossil fuel subsidies by major emitters in the five years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, AOSIS said.

Subsidization of fossil fuels by major emitters, in particular the Group of 20 (G-20) countries, runs counter to their obligations under the Paris Agreement, and also contrary to the best available scientific data, AOSIS said.

“Fossil fuel subsidies amounted to over US $ 471 billion in 2018, compared to US $ 160 billion in renewable energy subsidies, illustrating an unfair competitive advantage given to the fossil fuel industry,” the statement said. .

This “creates artificial barriers to the growth of the renewable energy industry and the foreclosure of carbon-intensive infrastructure, and the maintenance of the fossil fuel industry’s overwhelming share in the global energy sector, which will against the achievement of the objectives of the Paris Agreement. “

It also runs counter to the seventh sustainable development goal, which is to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”.

The declaration was launched on Wednesday at the AOSIS Virtual Leaders’ Summit on the sidelines of the 76th United Nations General Assembly.