AOSIS Battles for Climate Financing at COP28
COP28 continued today in Dubai where climate finance is taking centre stage. It is crucial for adaptation, addressing damages, and achieving low carbon development. The urgent need for mitigation is underscored as vulnerable nations face escalating impacts. Despite pledges at COP28, there is a gap between promises and actions. Belize, as a Small Island Development State, continues to be impacted by the increasing effects of climate change. Hipolito Novelo is at COP28 and has the latest on the negotiations to get financing for SIDS.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
At COP28 in Dubai this year, a significant focus on mitigation strategies is evident.
Colin Mattis
Colin Mattis, Coordinator for Mitigation, AOSIS
“What we have been doing through our policies especially the Nationally Determined Contributions, we’ve been saying all our targets and actions they are dependent on support from developed countries. SO, we are asking here through AOSIS also for financial support, technology and capacity building. But finance is key because we really, can’t implement our actions without that finance.”
Countries and stakeholders are actively engaged in discussions and negotiations to address the pressing challenges of the climate crisis. Colin Mattis is the coordinator for mitigation for the Alliance of Small Island Developing States, AOSIS. He participates in the negotiations, ensuring that SIDS like Belize get the finance needed for mitigation and adaptation.
Colin Mattis
“Climate finance is very important. Number one we want to adapt to climate change. Number two, we want to address loss and damages that occur as a result of the increasing impacts of climate change and number three, we want to decrease our emissions and achieve low carbon development. All of that takes money and for SIDS such as Belize it sums i=up to billions of dollars.”
Mitigation efforts include proposals and initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to renewable energy sources, and implementing sustainable practices across various sectors. The discussions center on global efforts to meet emission reduction targets, advance technological solutions, and promote policies that contribute to the overall mitigation of climate change impacts. And these are urgent for vulnerable countries that continue to battle with the increasing effects of extreme weather conditions.
Carla Barnett
Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General, CARICOM
“It is bad because we don’t it in our power to change it. It’s the big countries who have it in their power to change this not so slow, this actual acceleration beyond one point five. One point five to stay alive is coming closer.”
And AOSIS is not willing to compromise. In the first four days of COP28, over fifty-seven billion dollars pledged to support priorities across the global climate agenda. The science says that in order to keep one point five alive, the world must get to net zero emissions by 2050, and reduce emissions by 43% by 2030. But the signs are not good.
Colin Mattis
“It is very bad, we have signed the Paris Agreement in 2015. It came into force in 2016. Since then even though we have promised to move towards reaching the one point five degree goal, emissions have gone up, investments in fossil fuels have gone, production of oils and other fossil fuels have gone up. And so you will recognize that parties have said one thing but they are doing another thing.”
Reporting from COP28 in Dubai, Hipolito Novelo for News 5.
