We did it!
Today we crossed a major hurdle in saving our islands.
After the tireless effort by our team of hardworking and devoted negotiators and supportive partners, we are pleased to say we now have a
#LossandDamageFund
Tears flowed and a lengthy rousing ovation during final plenary just now for AOSIS Chair
#AnneRasmussen
, as she delivered an emotional response filled with unsparing observations about the final outcomes from
#COP28UAE
Today
#AnneRasmussen
was the voice of millions. She shouldered the pain of generations and championed the call for change. She led courageously from the front, piloting us through the turbulence of the past few hours. We are truly proud to have this warrior on our side!
#SIDS
are always the ones who are asked to compromise our interests in order to reach consensus. These are not just words that we are conceding, it is our lives, livelihoods and our future. We will not leave
@COP26
without assurances that our calls have been heard and addressed.
Some major developed countries & large developing nations just met to discuss Article 6, primarily Markets & the carrying over of Kyoto Protocol Units into the new Paris Agreement mechanism. This is central to environmental integrity! Why were vulnerable nations excluded?
#COP25
AOSIS Chair on UK draft COP text:
'Urging' 'encouraging' and 'inviting' is NOT the decisive language that this moment calls for. We have limited time left
@COP26
to get this right and send a clear message to our children, that we hear you and are taking this crisis seriously.
AOSIS extends our heartfelt congratulations to our colleague, climate champion
@adelle_SIDS
of the Bahamas ๐ง๐ธ on her appointment as Vice Chair for the
@IPCC_CH
Working Group 2 ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
This is a major achievement for the
#Caribbean
and all small island developing states
#SIDS
! ๐๐ฝ
Today we salute our negotiators for their years of tireless work and unshakable commitment. ๐ซก๐๐ฝ
Finally, we have a landmark clean text agreement that transforms the way the world manages and protects our high seas!
#BBNJ
#SpecialConsiderationsOfSIDS
#IslandsLead
#Cop28
teeters on the brink of failure as the legacy which it promised to leave for SIDS is obscured in language that fails to address fossil fuel phaseout in a meaningful way. A tearful Minister, Esa Ainuu, now ponders returning to Niue with a painful message for her people.
"We do not want to be here, demanding finance for our loss and damage response. We do not want to be treated as though you are doing us a favor by adding an agenda item or creating a voluntary fund," Ambassador
@conrodhunte
#COP27
See full statement๐๐พ
"It's not enough for us to reference the science and then make agreements that ignore what the science is telling us we need to do. This is not an approach that we should be asked to defend."
This was not the closing act but the opening scene of a renewed fight for 1.5.
Another long night ahead at
#COP28UAE
. A huge salute to our team for raising the alarm on disturbing GST text. The message seems to have hit home, but we are not out of the woods yet. Our negotiators are unmoved on 1.5 as it hinges on our very survival as SIDS.
#TimetoAct
"It's not enough for us to reference the science and then make agreements that ignore what the science is telling us we need to do. This is not an approach that we should be asked to defend."
This was not the closing act but the opening scene of a reinvigorated fight for 1.5.
At this hour, the future of millions of inhabitants of island nations across the globe hangs in the balance.
We hold strong and stay together as we discuss next steps in our final strategy meeting before the
#COP28
position on a fossil fuel phase out and 1.5 is known.
The Alliance has assembled! ๐ชโ
The delegations from island nations that make up AOSIS began their first
#PrepDay
in Egypt a few hours ago in preparation for the start of
@COP27P
.
Our goal remains clear, and we are unified and strong.
#WeNeedLDFinance
#COP27
has taken an important step towards justice.
I welcome the decision to establish a loss and damage fund and to operationalize it in the coming period.
Clearly this will not be enough, but it is a much-needed political signal to rebuild broken trust.
Standing our ground.
As the opening of
#COP27
dawns,
@AOSISChair
along with fellow
#G77andChina
colleagues huddle at 2:30am on the COP Presidencyโs proposal which includes no liability and compensation on the
#LossAndDamage
agenda item.
Talks continue right now.
Despite harrowing negotiation sessions, our SIDS powered through to the very end, with amazing solidarity across all the regions, supporting
@AOSISChair
in securing full recognition of the special circumstances of SIDS in the principles and objectives section of the treaty
#BBNJ
It's been a long night, but we are making use of these last few minutes to review texts and consolidate our position on the way forward. We will once again leave COP united with a renewed focus on keeping 1.5 alive.
It's a working day and we are working like the life of every citizen in every island nation across the globe depends on it!
We've come too far to be hasty at this 11th hour.
We need to cross every possible hurdle before making any announcement.
Stay with us.
The delay in meeting the US$100 billion
#climatefinance
goal is a major blow to
#SIDS
and the developing world. Devastating
#climatechange
impacts are not waiting, this is about survival.
Ambition must be realised now, before we're faced with an existential cost beyond our reach.
"AOSIS at the beginning of this
#COP28
had one objective, to ensure that 1.5 is safeguarded in a meaningful way. Our leaders and Ministers have been clear. We cannot afford to return to our islands with the message that this process has failed us."
FULL:
We are here.
We are United.
We are Strong.
We are the Alliance of Small Island States and our voices will be heard on every issue that impact our vulnerable populations.
#COP28UAE
#ActionForIslands
#TimetoAct
For
#AOSIS
, it has been an arduous journey to finally achieve the adoption of
#LossandDamageFinance
.
We consider it a moral victory, a first step, that has evaded our grasp for much too long.
On
#FinanceDay
here at
#COP27
we look ahead, but how exactly did we get here?
A ๐งต
Our thoughts are with our brothers and sisters in St. Vincent and the Grenadines during this difficult time. All
#SIDS
stand with you ๐๐ฟ. As
@AOSISChair
we will continue to advocate for all SIDS who are impacted by natural disasters.
#StaySafe
@StvincentGren
@ComradeRalph
"The scientific evidence must be an exigent wake-up call for the international community. Failure to act is an agreement to consign the people of small island developing States to a dismal future that we do not deserve, one that will have dire ramifications for us all.โ
@IPCC_CH
"No one wants to leave their homes. Why should we be forced to?"
Small
#island
developing states like
#Tuvalu
find themselves in the paradoxical position of contributing the least to greenhouse gas
#GHG
#emissions
while suffering the most from the consequences of
#globalwarming
.
"COP28 must send a clear message to phase out
#fossilfuel
use, end fossil fuel subsidies and scale up renewables. We canโt afford for the
#COP28
decision to imply the acceptance of fossil fuel expansion when we know that expansion canโt be compatible with a 1.5C future."
#PreCOP
Thank you to all who commemorated our 30th Anniversary with us! A moment of solidarity, reflection and renewed purpose to face the challenging decade ahead.
For those who missed out live, be sure to catch the full event on our website ๐:
We're at a day of reckoning and our very worst fears on the possible outcomes for
#COP27
are coming to light.
A lack of progress on funding arrangements for
#LossandDamage
and the inaction of developing countries now threaten to derail all our efforts.
๐๐พ
#COP28
is on the threshold of history, but on which side will it fall. Will it stand with vulnerable island nations in a desperate fight for their survival or maintain the status quo. Dubai should not be the place where our hopes for a 1.5 warming limit are left languishing.
๐จThe
@AOSISChair
#LeadersDeclaration
is officially endorsed!๐จ
Our 39
#SIDS
members call for urgent global action on climate change, sustainable development and ocean issues to make sustainable development for vulnerable nations a reality.
#IslandsLead
Again, AOSIS has a fight on its hands. Our rightful claim to what is just and fair as laid out in the
#ParisAgreement
that would make our islands a safer place to live is being undermined. A ๐งตon key points raised by our valiant Lead Coordinator
#AnneRasmussen
at Closing Plenary
AOSIS is gearing up for a battle. We will be sticking to our guns on our long-held positions on climate change and the deadly consequences that it has brought to our islands. At this hour, our negotiators are locked in discussions as the remaining hours of
#COP28
will be crucial.
There is overwhelming global consensus that the covid recovery must be a green one. Now is the time to walk the talk. Vulnerable countries are calling on our allies in the
@EUCouncil
, to step up and do the right thing... for people and planet.
#GreenRecovery
#EUGreenDeal
"It doesn't make sense being classified as middle income when you can be hit by natural disaster and overnight 200% of your GDP is wiped out.
#SIDS
need a better way of measuring wealth and a multi-dimensional vulnerability index is a good place to start."
@Marladukharan
๐๐ฝ
As we continue to monitor this situation, our hearts are with the people of Tonga and the Pacific.
We are sending our wishes for your safety and well-being and urgently appeal to the international community to stand with Tonga.
#ClimateChange
is a growing threat to countries like
#Tuvalu
, a paradise island located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Although Tuvalu contributes to less than 1% of the emissions responsible for the climate crisis, it bears the full, devastating brunt
#LossAndDamage
#COP28
โIf leaders fail to meet the Paris Agreement Goal, there will be a planetary catastrophe, from ecosystem collapse to severe natural disasters, economic collapse, and many more.โ
The climate crisis is not just a Small Island issue. It affects us ALL.
#LossAndDamageFund
was agreed, now we must OPERATIONALISE.
#TC1
members and advisors from Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries are progressing the delivery of a fund that meets the needs of our vulnerable territories with reliable, accessible finance.
At the Chairmanship handover of G77 + China,
@AOSISChair
warmly congratulated new Chair
@CUBAONU
and thanked
@PakistanUN_NY
for its sterling leadership.
As a fellow
#SIDS
, AOSIS reiterates our full support to the advancement of our common interests as developing nations.
As we work to finalize the protection and sustainable governance of our high seas,
@AOSISChair
reiterates: the special circumstances of SIDS must not be confused with special requirements of developing countries. This is distinct, and must be reflected in the text.
#BBNJ
Join us in making a wave ๐ onย
#WorldOceansDay
.
#Oceans
are our lifeline & healthy oceans = healthy people
Get on board with
โSustainble use of marine biodiversityย
โReducing marine plastics
โDecarbonizing marine transport
โNature-based approaches for adaptation
#SIDSLead
AOSIS Coordinator โ Global Stocktake
@Rueanna_Haynes
fired the first shot across the bow this morning.
Island nations are not prepared to leave
@COP27
empty handed.
That was her message to the Executive Secretary of the
@UNFCCC
@simonstiell
on day 2 of AOSIS Prep.
"When countries lose their islands because of sea level rise and extreme events, they are losing their culture and traditions. There is no adapting to that,"
-
@roper_le
@AOSISChair
๐
Who will pay for the damage caused by climate change? via
@BBC_Future
The frontlines of our climate fight will never be empty neither will we grow weary in our actions.
@AOSISFellowship
is a successful capacity building story for our youth, thanks to
@ItalyUN_NY
.
Congrats to the latest cohort of graduates!
Stay the course, SIDS needs you!
#COP28
"I'm deeply saddened by the loss of lives and disruptions
#CycloneHarold
has caused my fellow islanders in the Pacific. AOSIS affirms its solidarity to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga. Our commitment to you is unrelenting," says AOSIS Chair.
#SIDSSolidarity
#COVID19
#SIDS
fight to have
#LossAndDamage
put on the
@Cop27P
agenda is more than an economic issue. Itโs about preserving our cultural and social livelihoods
#SIDSMatter
Click and watch full vid โฌ๏ธ
Now onto the forgotten pillar, the unwanted child: loss and damage.
@AOSISChair
has not forgotten. We demand concrete outcomes on financial support for loss and damage in
#SIDS
, here at this
#COP26
@AOSISChair
lead negotiator ~ Lia Nicholson ๐ฆ๐ฌ
#SIDSLead
#SIDSMatter
This is the grim, incredibly unjust reality small islands face.
"Keep 1.5c Alive" is not a sound bite but a necessity to save
#SIDS
from extinction.
As the sea rises, our homes are slipping away.
Inaction is unacceptable.
We need
#ClimateAction
NOW.
The
#BBNJ
Agreement can help bridge the capacity gap, and have co-benefits advancing a number of priorities including
#SDG14
and the
#SAMOAPathway
, as well as its successor agreement.
Congratulations again to our dedicated island leaders on this achievement!
Join us in congratulating
#Belize
in surpassing
#SDG14
and the
#AicihiTarget11
!
Committed to long-term sustainable use and protection of marine resources, Belize expands its no-take zones to 16.2% of its territorial waters, and an additional 5.7% of its EEZ.๐๐ ๐
#SIDSLead
AOSIS members have begun their first day of preparations for
#COP28UAE
in strong numbers and unified around the issues that endanger our islands.
AOSIS Chair Ambassador Pa'olelei Luteru set the tone for a day of strategising and engaged discussions for the crucial work ahead.
โผ๏ธ New Press Release:
A dedicated
#LossAndDamage
Finance Facility is a necessity. Its adoption as a
#COP27
agenda item is the bare minimum - urgent operationalisation is the goal.
See how
@AOSISChair
is working to ensure L$D supports
#SIDS
recovery:
#COP26
is the most important political moment for
#ClimateAction
since the
#ParisAgreement
| Ambassador Webson,
@AOSISChair
, calls for an in-person, inclusive COP. This would mean:
๐ฏEquitable distribution of vaccinations ๐
๐ฏRoutes to Glasgow open to all negotiators โ๏ธ
There is only standing room remaining as island nations in one of their strongest show of representation at a COP are deep in their strategy session on day one of their preparations for negotiations at
#COP28UAE
#TimeToAct
#ActionforIslands
#IslandsMatter
Know what is at stake for our membership, our families, our homes, our cultures. We question whether elements of this package could undermine our march to 1.5C.
But we implore colleagues to take the step with us.
#SIDSMatter
#WordsMatter
#ActionMattersMore
Most
#SIDS
are one event away from disaster. We are the remote, small, countries at high risk from extreme weather events, in an unforgiving system that yields high debt and risky development.
@AOSISChair
at todayโs High-level Political Forum 2023 โ SIDS Session
1/2
We now need every voice. We are truly emboldened in our fight by the influential support of those who identify with our cause. Our meeting with
#MaryRobinson
of
@TheElders
was a well-timed discourse that only strengthens our resolve as we brace for the final hours of COP28.
Today at
#LDC5
,
@AOSISChair
reflected on the distress faced by Vanuatu (cyclones and earthquake) and many
#SIDS
.
โDevelopment gains can be wiped out in single events, leaving governments to contend between recovery and providing basic support to the population."
#IslandsMatter
At
#COP28
we can not let the
#LossAndDamage
Fund become another failed commitment.
Vulnerable countries need:
- DIRECT ACCESS to GRANT-BASED funding
- Funds allocated based on severity of need
- Initial capitalisation from developed countries
- Innovative funding sources
The fight for a
#LossAndDamage
fund began 31 years ago, advanced by
#Vanuatu
and the first
@AOSISChair
Ambassador Robert Van Lierop๐ซก
"We knew that the peril to smaller countries was quite a pronounced threat. Since then I think the world has seen how imminent the threat is."
"SIDS are among the most water-scarce countries in the world, with 7 out of 10 facing the prospect of water shortages. We need an understanding of
#climatechange
effects on the resources of individual SIDS, so that action can be tailored and sustainable"
#UNWaterConference2023
โWe are not seeing the action from the big emitters that is required to get emissions down in this critical decade โ this means halving emissions by 2030 at the latest.โ -
@AOSISChair
Amb.Walton Webson
#SIDSMatter
#IPCC
As we approach the end of the hurricane season, a furious Category 1 hurricane lashes Belize, one of our member countries.
We pray for the safety and survival of all those being affected.
๐๐พ๐ง๐ฟ โค
Our islands can ill afford to lose sight of the very reason why we are here at
#COP28UAE
The fight for
#LossandDamage
started decades ago. Pledges wouldn't get it done. Our voices and actions are united on our various targets in saving our islands from the climate crisis.
AOSIS Chair Prime Minister
@gastonbrowne
๐ฆ๐ฌ and Prime Minister
@miaamormottley
๐ง๐ง have arrived in Egypt in time for the World Leaders Summit of
#COP27
Both their voices have become some of the most commanding on the issue of
#climatejustice
for island nations.
What SIDS need is for
@COP26
to be the process that sees to the launch of a committee to operationalise loss and damage, it's been 20yrs it's time we set out on the 1yr sprint
#SIDSLead
#ClimateActionNow
This is a ๐จ for humanity.
@AOSISChair
on
#IPCCReport
:
Urgent ๐ action to keep the 1.5หC goal alive can curb the worst impacts of man-made climate change, but major emitters and fossil fuel industry must step up to save lives and livelihoods NOW. Our future depends on it.
In a matter of hours
#COP27
gets underway.
โ๏ธTime is fast running out on us to drive promise and ambition into urgent action.
๐The world is watching and the people whose lives are most at risk from devastating climatic events๐ anxiously wait.
#ClimateFinance
#WeNeedLDFinance
Hi all the
@AOSISChair
has a new Lead Negotiator for Climate Change Amb. H.E Conrad Hunte of ๐ฆ๐ฌ. Amb. Hunte has over 30 years of experience in diplomacy, international affairs, renewable energy, UN oversight and management. Welcome to the
#AOSIS
Family Ambassador ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ
#SIDSLead
As a veteran climate action champion,
@jfelson
has stayed the course on
@AOSISChair
's long journey to see a loss and damage finance facility come to life.
She shares insights here on how we're working to strengthen our strategy going into
#COP27
It is an auspicious occasion.
Today, the AOSIS chairmanship changes hands and regions, with the
#Pacific
@SamoaUN
๐ผ๐ธtaking up the mantle from the
#Caribbean
.
We applaud
@ABNYOffice
๐ฆ๐ฌ for its sterling leadership, and vow to achieve continued momentum for
#SIDS
development!
It has been a long road to ensure we keep the
#LossAndDamage
Fund moving toward fruition - our work is far from done.
Recommendations from the
#TC5
will now be negotiated at
#COP28
.
AOSIS will not rest until this Fund adequately supports the victims of the
#climatecrisis
.
Why
@AOSISChair
is standing strong for SIDS:
โWhat is described as crisis, for SIDS is catastrophe.
If we go beyond 1.5C, the same countries that are asking for
#LossandDamage
run the risk of being wiped out. We need decisive action now.โ
#IslandsLead
#IslandsMatter
#2022PCD
CLOSING STATEMENT
#SB58
:
@AOSISChair
approached this session with urgency to course correct, and ensure we do not further compromise the future of our vulnerable island nations.
Therefore, we are shocked by the lack of momentum, stagnation, even regression at the session.
๐งต
SAVE THE DATE - "A SIDS Moment in December"
Celebrate
#SIDS
, our culture, our people, and our persistence in advancing a global sustainable agenda for planet ๐ and for people โ๐ฝ
DEC 3rd 2020, 6:00pm - 7:00 pm EST
#SIDSLead
#SIDSMatter
#30years
Our future hangs in the balance and these last few hours of
#COP27
will determine how serious we are as a global community about the threat of climate change.
We were forced to take our concerns to the media today. We are literally in a fight for our lives.
#LDFinanceNow
Assessing SIDSโ access to
#ClimateFinance
, and amping up political leverage is integral as we prepare for
#COP28
.
@AOSISChair
was pleased to be supported by
@UNHighRep
for a Virtual Roundtable Dialogue to Advance AOSIS Strategy on Financing for Loss and Damage.
#SIDSLead
Funding arrangements for addressing
#LossAndDamage
continues to be neglected
Yet, emissions continue to rise and the fossil fuel industry rakes in trillions at the expense of the most vulnerable people in the world
#SIDSMatter
#ClimateActionNow
Climate disasters do not bypass vulnerable
#SIDS
that are defined as high income.
GDP per capita cannot be applied to climate finance.
Concessional financing must be available to all
#SIDS
in order to build our
#resilience
to
#climatechange
.
@COP26
Tuesday is a major day for
#AOSIS
as our Chair, Prime Minister Gaston Browne prepares to make yet another compelling case for
โ
#LossAndDamageFinance
โ Urgent action on 1.5 โ๏ธ
โ Scaled up Ambitionโ๏ธ
Let's make this week count island nations!
#AOSISleads
"The Next Generation of Island Leaders" was a fitting conclusion to a great week of
#VirtualIslandSummit
discussions. So good to see so many of our
@AOSISFellowship
alumni representing and passing on their knowledge to inspire a new generation.
On behalf of AOSIS, Minister of Environment Molwyn Joseph ๐ฆ๐ฌ discusses with US Climate Envoy
@JohnKerry
the grave future ahead for island nations without a
#LossandDamage
mechanism.
The exchange took place earlier today as ministerial meetings are fully underway at
#COP27
Well done Tonga ๐น๐ด
@TongaMissionUN
and Papua New Guinea ๐ต๐ฌ for your updated
#NDC
submissions!๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
Some headline targets ๐ฏ:
70% of electricity generated from renewable sources by
2030 and one million new trees ๐ด by 2023 ๐น๐ด
Carbon neutral energy sub-sector by 2030 ๐ต๐ฌ
#SIDSLead
We were pleased to meet with
@UNCTAD
to discuss enhanced support for small island developing States
#SIDS
.
@AOSISChair
requested a briefing paper on key challenges facing SIDS in 2023, which will greatly assist SIDS as we prepare for the 4th SIDS Conference.
#IslandsMatter
Small island developing states
#SIDS
have specific needs and particular circumstances.
๐ดWe are small
๐ดWe are remote
๐ดWe are vulnerable
๐ดWe are under constant threat from external shocks and impacts
See why we need the
#MVIforSIDSfuture
๐๐ฝ
WATCH NOW:
#PlasticPollution
mostly originates 1000s of kilometers from our shores, carried to our
#islands
by atmospheric and oceanic currents. Our identity, livelihoods and future are intrinsically tied to the ocean.
We urgently need a legally binding instrument to
#EndPlasticPollution
After two weeks in Bonn
#SIDS
have no certainty that the finance we need will be delivered at the scale or speed we need it to
The
#ClimateCrisis
is fast becoming a catastrophe. Yet within these walls, the process feels out of step with reality; the pace is too slow.
#SIDSMatter
Our delegations have begun to arrive in Egypt, a week before the start of some of the most pivotal negotiations in determining action on the climate crisis.
We will be united and strong in pleading our case for a facility to fund
#LossAndDamage
for our vulnerable states.