The president of this decade’s summit for Small Island Developing States accused the wealthy nations of making “empty” and “grossly inadequate” climate pledges. The president emphasized the rich nations have failed to meet obligations to limit damages from carbon emissions.
Small island states across the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean are considered especially vulnerable to economic crises and rising temperatures. The risk drivers are their exposure to natural disasters, high debt and reliance on imports and tourism.
“It is not sufficient for nations to simply make empty and grossly inadequate commitments under the Paris Agreement,” conference president and Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said, Reuters reported.
Read more: Cutting emissions is “essentially” the responsibility of G20 nations: UN Secretary-General
Prime Minister Browne also cited a 2015 treaty to limit emissions and prevent temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Additionally, he urged rich countries to honour a pledge to send $100 billion a year to poorer nations to help reduce emissions and mitigate extreme weather. He called for more climate financing, a global carbon tax on oil companies, an end to fossil fuel subsidies, and a faster transition to renewable energy sources.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Reuters reported, said the Small Island Developing States had “every right” to demand better financing options and bigger contributions to the “loss and damage” fund.
The Secretary-General added, “The idea that an entire island state will become collateral damage for profiteering by the fossil fuel industry or competition between major economies is simply obscene.”
