WITH the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) now underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, one of Solomon Islands key priorities at the summit is ensuring that all pledges and commitments of COP28 are delivered to fully operationalise the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD).
FRLD is a new funding for assisting vulnerable countries in coping with Climate Change impacts.
The issue of Loss and Damage constitutes article 8 of the Paris Agreement and it recognises the importance of averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of Climate Change, including extreme weather patterns slow onset events, and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of Loss and Damage.
In his opening remarks the outgoing COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber emphasized that now is the time to “unite, act and deliver.”
He called on all parties to contribute to the capitalization of the FRLD) and urged the delivery of a robust New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance in COP29.
COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev, the Azerbaijan Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources, in his opening address, emphasized that COP29 is an “unmissable moment” and should not be silent.
He called for the need to make pledges into real contributions and wants to see enhanced ambition to enable climate action.
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell stressed that “climate finance is not charity’’ and a new finance goal is in the best self-interest of all countries and parties.
“If two thirds of the world’s nations cannot afford to cut emissions, every nation pays the price.”
In acknowledging that a single COP cannot deliver the full transformation that is needed, he stated that ‘‘in Baku we must agree to a new climate Finance Goal.”
Solomon Islands delegation to COP 29 is led by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Trevor Manemahaga.
A statement from the delegation outlined the following as the country’s key priorities at the United Nations Climate Summit.
- The need for a clear outcome on phasing out of all fossil fuels and prioritizing renewable energy solutions, which is supportive of a target to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030;
- The need to ensure that all pledges and commitments at COP28 are delivered to fully operationalize the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). A new Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) should provide new and additional, predictable and adequate (based on science) resources to address the current and evolving needs and priorities of all develop country Parties in accordance with Article 9 of the Paris Agreement.
- The Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) must drive adaptation action at the national and subnational levels, together with the required adaptation finance. Other thematic issues the delegation will follow includes, oceans, carbon trading (Article 6), gender and agriculture to name a few.
Minister Manemahaga’s delegation includes senior government officers from MECDM, Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination, Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs as well as Non-Government Organizations, Civil Society groups, youth groups, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and regional organizations,
The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which commenced on Monday 11 November will conclude on Friday 22 November.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
