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Cut the green house emission
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Climate change threatens our islands
PRIME Minister(PM) Manasseh Sogavare makes a strong call by requesting all major greenhouse gas emitting countries to cut emissions and take more ambitious action place the world on a below 1.5 degrees Celsius pathway.
His call came during his address to the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session early Sunday morning from Honiara.
“Solomon Islands as a Small Islands Developing State continue to battle with the effects of climate change and its negative impacts that threaten the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of our people,” Sogavare expressed.
He further added that the Pacific have identified Climate Change as the single greatest threat to their peoples and planet. It is a global issue that needs a global solution.
“We remain deeply concerned that ambitions under the Paris Agreement remain alarmingly low.
“Already global temperature has increased above pre-industrial level to 1.1 Celsius degrees. The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released an alarming Report which delivered the starkest warning yet about the deepening climate emergency,” Sogavare highlighted.
He further stressed that the IPCC Report further stated that limiting global warming to close to 1.5 degrees Celsius or even 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels “will be beyond reach” in the next two decades, without immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
“We strongly call on all major greenhouse gas emitting countries to cut emissions and take more ambitious action place the world on a below 1.5 degrees Celsius pathway,” he said.
Sadly Sogavare said that with the current ambition we are heading towards a more than three degrees Celsius world.
COP26 in Glasgow to be held in November this year presents an opportunity for the world to operationalize the Paris Agreement. Conclude negotiations on the Paris Rulebook.
Establishment of, common time frame for Nationally Determined Contributions is needed. Markets and non-market negotiations needs to be concluded and Loss and Damage to be operationalized.
Sogavare said that further support is needed for the Warsaw Mechanism and an Adaptation Fund should serve and support the Paris Agreement.
“The time for action is now,” Sogavare told the UN Assembly.
By ANDREW FANASIA
Newsroom, Honiara
