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Island Nations Plea: Keep 1.5C Warming Limit Alive!
23 Sep
Summary
- Small island nations insist the 1.5°C warming limit is a legal obligation.
- Scientists confirm limiting and reducing warming below 1.5°C is still possible.
- Island states demand accessible, affordable, and predictable climate finance.
Small island nations, represented by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), have implored global leaders at the UN General Assembly to maintain the commitment to limit global warming to 1.5°C. They underscored that this target is a legally affirmed boundary, crucial for protecting people, ecosystems, and economies, rather than an optional aspiration.
Delivered by lead negotiator Anne Rasmussen, the statement acknowledged that while recent months have been the hottest on record and sea levels are rising unprecedentedly, it is still possible to limit and reduce warming below the 1.5°C threshold. This requires urgent, concrete actions and a decisive shift away from fossil fuels.
AOSIS emphasized that escalating climate change impacts necessitate immediate and serious attention. They highlighted severe consequences already faced, such as catastrophic floods in Nepal and intensifying sea-level rise impacting communities in Fiji and drought in the Caribbean. The bloc also stressed that climate finance for these vulnerable nations must be accessible and predictable.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed these sentiments, calling for polluters to bear responsibility for the damage caused. AOSIS seeks a commitment from the incoming COP31 presidency to prioritize plans from small island states, ensuring they receive the necessary resources for adaptation and implementation.
