Vice President Faisal Naseem on Monday called for global solidarity in the face of climate change, stating that despite Maldives’ negligible contributions to the causes of climate change, it would be impossible for us to respond effectively to them without global support. The Vice President made this statement delivering Maldives’ national statement at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27).
Addressing world leaders at the Sharm El-Sheikh International Convention Center, the Vice President recalled the harsh realities of the world over the past few months, including floods in Pakistan, heatwaves in Europe, and food shortages across Africa caused by climate change.
Citing that the lives of Maldivians are also affected daily due to the impact of climate change on our oceans, the Vice President stated that it was affecting our sources of nourishment and income. He added that Maldivian fishermen were forced to travel further every year in search of abundant fisheries.
The Vice President went on to detail the severe repercussions of climate change in the Maldives, including the need to rely on modern technologies following the depletion of freshwater supplies, the unpredictability of monsoon shifts that are more frequent and intense, and flooding and storm surges that have irreparably damaged homes and livelihoods. He added that our coral reefs, which are at the core of our tourism product, are on life support.
The Vice President also warned world leaders that we only had 86 months to cut emissions in half and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
The Vice President also expressed the Maldives’ expectations from COP27, including ambitious commitments on adaptation and mitigation, a visionary outcome on loss and damage that offers a patchwork of solutions to a wide range of issues, and the hope of achieving the collective target of US$100 billion per year in climate finance, with more than half going toward adaptation.
The Vice President concluded by stating that because of climate change, the world is changing, and we must make sure the new world is equitable and just and allows every person to live well.
