Copenhagen Climate Ministerial: A Critical Moment for Climate Action
The most significant political global gathering on climate change since COP28 is just a day away, with countries coming together at the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial on 21st March.
Setting the Stage for Climate Action
The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is keen to see a firm commitment from the incoming COP29 Presidency, Azerbaijan, to ensure outcomes that will deliver the critical support small island developing states (SIDS) need to sustain lives and livelihoods amidst worsening climate change impacts.
AOSIS Chair’s Plea for Action
“While we fight for our people in negotiating rooms year after year, the incremental progress made on addressing the climate crisis falls far behind the actual losses endured by the women, men, and children of our vulnerable small island developing states,” said Minister Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Samoa, and AOSIS Chair. “This is a critical year, as we must peak global emissions before 2025 to avoid the worst scenarios of increased storms, drought, coastal erosion, sea level rise, and the other devastating impacts of climate change on our homes.”
Key Demands from AOSIS
“At the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial, we must see a laser focus on implementing the COP28 Energy Package and advancing new, significantly more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) which will lock us on a firm track to maintaining the 1.5°C goal and place us on a pathway to net-zero by 2050. We urge all countries to demonstrate diligence and good faith by submitting updates to their 2030 and NDCs with 2035 targets before the February 2025 deadline.
Importantly, setting a robust New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (‘NCQG’) is key. Implementation of effective climate action is impossible without it. We cannot have a repeat of the delayed promises of the 100 billion goal. The urgent delivery of the NCQG to SIDS and other developing countries is a consequential catalyst for achieving the Paris Agreement’s goals. The era of implementation is upon us, and we cannot miss this precious window to write a better chapter for our world.”
Conclusion
The Copenhagen Climate Ministerial presents a critical moment for climate action. AOSIS is urging countries to demonstrate a strong commitment to addressing the climate crisis and supporting vulnerable small island developing states. The world cannot afford to miss this opportunity to take decisive action and write a better chapter for our future.
FAQs
- What is the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial?
- What is AOSIS?
- What are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?
- What is the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG)?
The Copenhagen Climate Ministerial is a global gathering of countries to discuss and address climate change.
AOSIS is the Alliance of Small Island States, a group of countries vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
NDCs are national plans submitted by countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The NCQG is a goal to mobilize finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries.