Vice President Faisal Naseem Delivers Maldives’ National Statement at COP27

 Yesterday, Vice President of the Maldives, His Excellency, Faisal Naseem represented the Maldives and delivered the national statement at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27). The Vice President called on the global communities’ solidarity in the wake of climate change and stated that despite the fact that Maldives’ contributions to climate change are negligible, it is impossible to combat it effectively without global support.

Speaking at the Sharm El-Sheikh International Convention Centre, the Vice President reflected on the harsh realities projected on the world in the past few months, owing to drastic climate changes. He recalled the heavy floods in Pakistan, and the intense heatwaves in Europe and shed some light on the food shortages rocking Africa.

The Vice President also brought to the attention of world leaders the negative implications of climate change on the daily lives of Maldivians, particularly in our oceans. He firmly voiced that the main sources of nourishment and income generated by the country are being severely affected by climate change. In this regard, he shared with the conference that Maldivian fishermen are forced to travel further every year in search of abundant fisheries.

In addition to this, the Vice President also expressed his concerns about the detrimental repercussions of climate change in Maldives.  He elaborated on the need to increase reliance on modern technologies following the depletion of freshwater supplies and noted the unpredictable shifts in monsoons and the more frequent and intense flooding and storm surges that are occurring. He added that these changes are causing havoc to the homes and livelihoods of Maldivians in an irreversible manner.

During his speech, the Vice President highlighted the effect of climate change on coral reefs as well, stating that the coral ecosystems that form the heart of Maldivian tourism are currently on life support.  In this way, he also warned world leaders that we have only a limited time of 86 months to cut emissions in half and decelerate global warming to 1.5 degrees.

In his address, the Vice President declared the Maldives’ expectations from COP27 which include ambitious commitments on adaptation and mitigation, a visionary outcome on loss and damage that offers a patchwork of solutions to a broad range of issues, and the hope of achieving the collective target of US$100 Billion per year in climate finance, with over half invested in adaptation.

In his concluding remarks, the Vice President stated that as a result of climate change, the world is altering and that we must ensure the new world is just and equitable and accommodates every person to live a good life.