Vice President Calls for Unified Climate Action Among Commonwealth Nations

At the CHOGM Climate Breakfast in Samoa, Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef stressed the urgent need for a unified response from the Commonwealth to the growing climate crisis. He pointed out that global warming is having severe effects on vulnerable populations, particularly within Commonwealth countries.

Vice President Latheef called for mobilizing predictable, adequate, and sustainable climate finance to support ambitious climate initiatives. He urged the establishment of a new collective goal for climate finance that surpasses the previously agreed USD 100 billion per year, emphasizing the importance of specific sub-goals for loss and damage, mitigation, and adaptation efforts.

Highlighting the challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS), he called for changes to the international financial architecture to better address their development needs. Latheef emphasized the necessity of agreeing on this new goal at COP29 and recognized the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub for aiding the Maldives in securing necessary funds.

He concluded by encouraging Commonwealth nations to submit ambitious new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to align with a 1.5-degree global temperature target, urging decisive action for the benefit of future generations and the planet. The event was organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat as part of the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.