Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - AOSIS

Opening Remarks on the Climate Talk and Net Zero 2050: New Zealand and Pacific Island Countries

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:37:00 +0000

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

4 August 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

A big thank you , Malo Aupito!

to New Zealand’s Embassy to the Republic of Korea.

A big thank you to the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI),

Our co-organizers.

I am honored by your invitation to address this important meeting.

Please allow me to first pay tribute to you , Your Excellency, Ban Ki-moon.

Throughout your distinguished career and especially during your two consecutive terms as Secretary-General of the United Nations, you drove, you unwaveringly committed to combatting climate change and you continue to do so !

Thank you for inspiring us all.

Climate change knows no borders. Climate change concerns all women, girls, men and boys of our shared planet.

By now though, climate change has taken on a truly existential meaning for the peoples of the Pacific. In Shakespeare’s words it is about « TO BE OR NOT TO BE « .

Many before me already alerted to this.

The SIDS, the least developed countries and the landlocked developing countries with a population of over one billion people, human lives ! , are among the most vulnerable nations.

They all have in common to be on the frontline of climate change.

Adapting in pro-active ways to the foreseeable adverse impacts of climate change is not a luxury for them, it is a necessity to survive.

A key driver to be able to achieve that lies in access to affordable and reliable energy. They lack that access. This means you can barely power rural health clinics, forget about telemedicine anyway or telework. This means you remain stuck in sub-optimal production processes and you can not compete in regional or global markets.

Many of the countries, especially the small islands and landlocked countries, are far away from markets, they remain highly dependent on fossil-fuel imports, and suffer from the resulting high energy access costs.

With rapidly advancing technology and thus also more competitive pricing, the move towards renewable energy and low-carbon development has become an economically viable option. This is particularly so given the high renewable energy potential of the countries.

The challenges countries face are considerable and let us not forget that, historically, their contributions to greenhouse gas concentrations has been very low on a per capita basis.

All of us should be very encouraged that both AOSIS and the LDCs have taken exemplary steps in terms of ambition in mitigation. Both groups made important announcements at the Climate Action Summit last September in New York, and continue to follow-up on them.

All SIDS have committed to strategies consistent with the 1.5 Degree target, and several have committed to 100% renewable energy by 2030 – including through initiatives like SIDS Dock and the SIDS Lighthouse Initiative.

I take it upon myself and OHRLLS – and I call upon all to join - to urgently amplify their voice so it is heard loud and clear by the major greenhouse gas emitters, to whom we appeal to play their part on the global stage.

Since , further challenges have arisen with the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have massive disruptions everywhere. But the toll is especially heavy for the SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs.

They faced complex vulnerability challenges prior to the pandemic but now they face a multiple of challenges amounting to an almost perfect storm.

The impérative of short-term health and basic survival responses means that already scarce domestic resources have to be diverted from national SDG implementation towards emergency plans.

Through all this, the global climate crisis continues to unfold.

The onset of the hurricane season is a stark reminder of this.

While, allow me to say, mission control is all focused on pandemic management, capacity to respond to other unfolding disasters is almost depleted.

Take as evidence the Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Harold which wreaked havoc in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

I am sure we all agree that constant , short-term re-active responses can not be the answer because this simply is not sustainable.

The challenge before us is to stay the course and maintain traction for ambitious climate action.

We must reverse the current downward spiral.

This is why I wish to thank the AOSIS Chair for convening the Placenia Ambition Forum in April of this year.At the Forum, important steps were taken to mobilize major actors in the climate change negotiations, and for increasing ambition and safeguarding of the Paris Agreement.

In these efforts, countries have to be in the driver’s seat. I wish to mention the countries that have recently submitted their updated national plans, which include four SIDS and three LLDCs, one of which is also an LDC, as well as New Zealand.

It is a beginning and I look forward to the work of the new independent Climate Change Commission.

The Pacific NDC Hub, which was launched in 2017, already supports pacific island nations on their low carbon pathways.

As a side remark, I believe the COVID pandemic shows us some keys for solutions like much more replacing travel with virtual meetings, consuming locally including movements like farm-to-table, valuing the quality of the natural environment ! These are all steps each one of us can take to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Each one of us has a role to play.

Let us not just be victims but let us be actors in the change we want.

Slowly indeed, but surely , countries across the world are focusing on recovery efforts.

This is now our opportunity to change course by greening our recovery measures.

This is our moment for SOLIDARITY.

As I said at the beginning, climate change knows no boundaries and a virus also does not and nor should basic human rights.

It is a basic human right to have access to a healthy environment as expressed in the Stockholm declaration.

At the outset, very strong local, national, regional and global political wills have to come together to decide that our « new normal « will be built on an inclusive and sustainable development model.

All stimulus spending should drive a green impact. This would go a long way toward making the low-carbon transition reality rather than keep talking about it.

The evidence is there and shows that such investments can generate a strong economic recovery, create decent jobs and bring us closer to a 1.5-degree world.

We CAN do it, but now we MUST do it !

Let us unite, have a common voice, let us move to ACTION with strong champions who will lead by example.

I thank you.

Front Page Article:

Opening Remarks on Webinar for COVID-19: Lessons Learnt and Mapping the Way Forward

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 19:34:00 +0000

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

30 July 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I join my colleagues in welcoming you all to our Webinar.

A big thank you must go to the Co-chairs as well as the Small States Centre of Excellence for organizing this timely webinar.

If I had addressed you last year, I would have said here we are, the glass is half- full, many complex issues remain but the SIDS are making every effort to realize the SDGs, the SAMOA Pathway and meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Here we are in 2020. A year that certainly none of us will ever forget and the COVID-19 pandemic now threatens the lives AND the livelihoods of the SIDS citizens.

Of course, the immediate issue is one of health. But as we all know the health status of people is linked to a complex set of socio-economic issues. So, I really look forward to learning today from our partners, our speakers and panelists.

As I said, the immediate issue concerns the health impacts of the virus.

To date, they have been severe in some SIDS and thankfully not yet in others. So far, several Pacific SIDS have avoided outbreaks.

My thoughts and condolences go to the families and friends of all those whose lives could not be saved.

What we now see, and this is of serious concern, is that across the board people in nearly all SIDS experience reduced food security, increased malnutrition or vulnerable children receive less care outside of their homes.

Education systems are disrupted.

Like elsewhere violence against women has drastically increased. Women who disproportionately work in the healthcare sector not only are more exposed but do double shifts between work and family.

Gender disparities in the impact of the COVID-19 crisis are evident and we need to take that into account.

The pandemic has not only laid bare already existing challenges, but has also laid bare what high degrees of inequality mean in a pandemic and has now driven the situation where potentially we talk glass half empty rather than half full.

And the pandemic, while a major aspect of the challenges SIDS face, is not standing on its own as the many risks, including those to health, from climate change, natural disasters and external economic shocks are all part of this near perfect storm the SIDS now face.

Given border closures, disrupted supply chains, globally rapidly dropping consumption, highly reduced remittances, near to non- existing tourism which is a major employer and earner in the SIDS, many already lost jobs, we must be also be concerned by the state of the economies! The state of the economies means the state of household budgets and their capacities to afford food, health care and basic necessities!

It is clear that sustained international support is needed to ensure we do not leave the SIDS behind. And I add, it is needed NOW.

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), has made strong calls for major fiscal measures to enable SIDS to cope with the crisis and to preserve hard won development gains.

The reality, sad reality is that so far this year, an increase in international support has not yet materialised.

Take humanitarian relief. This year, it is a third lower than the same time last year. From a global perspective, the UN estimates for an adequate humanitarian response stood at $40 billion. So far only $1.7 billion has been pledged.

The question before us is simple: do we want to leave the SIDS behind or do we want that the peoples of the SIDS are included in the sustainable development path that the Agenda 2030 wants to achieve for all.

Now is the time to be proactive. Now is the time to further partnerships between SIDS and with their partner states and the global community. In the short term of course focus has to be on the immediate and urgent healthcare response. But, for responses to be sustainable, now is the time to invest in and build capacities for and with the SIDS to manage forward through the range of complex issues all having ultimately a bearing on the health status of their peoples.

In closing, I reiterate the commitment of OHRLLS to continue to strongly support the SIDS Partnership Steering committee.

I thank all participants for your contributions and look forward to listening to you.

Front Page Article:

Opening Remarks at the Placencia Ambition Forum

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 18:03:00 +0000

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

20 & 22 April 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

A warm welcome to you all!

It is a privilege to add my voice in my capacity as High Representative to this important gathering calling for continued focus on and raising ambition for climate action.

I applaud the extraordinary efforts of AOSIS to continue raising ambition through this important Forum.

It is a difficult time right now for everybody but especially for SIDS.

COVID-19 is also affecting climate change. With less human activity, with humans retreating well we have a temporary slowing in carbon emissions. Maps of especially urban areas and their peripheries show it .

But just as urban densities will not go away, this is temporary.

It is also tragic as this comes on the back of an economic slowdown due to human distress. A slowdown whose cost, economic, social and political remain unknown at this stage.

So, let us be clear, this does not represent the kind of or scale of changes needed.

The last time we witnessed slowing emissions was during the Global Financial Crisis a decade ago.

However, this was temporary and we missed the moment to fundamentally question a reconciliation between growth imperatives and sustainability.

Any crisis, as strangely as it may sound, also bears opportunity. So, in 2020 let us not yet again miss opportunity. Let us not miss once more the chance to rebuild by investing in decarbonizing the global economy.

The manifold climate risks of the SIDS have been known for a long time. The SIDS have alerted to them since the early 90s. A call for action was made in 1994 at the First Global Conference on the sustainable development of the Small Islands States, and climate change and sea level rise were subsequently incorporated into the Barbados Plan of Action(BPoA). We have come a long way to where we are now.

Even with substantial international support, which is urgently needed and needed NOW, the global pandemic EVERYBODY is exposed to is likely to further reduce the resilience of the already highly vulnerable small island communities. This has been highlighted recently during closure of borders, social distancing with category 5 cyclone Harold in the Pacific, impacting lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and my own country Tonga.

AOSIS, its member states and Belize as the Chair have demonstrated global leadership in their commitment for climate action. Thank you all also for your tireless efforts for COP25 in Madrid.

Despite your and other SIDS’ efforts, many, including myself, are deeply disappointed with the lack of progress made in 2019.

We cannot rest, we cannot stand still, we need concrete action on oceans, effective carbon markets and operationalizing the Warsaw Mechanisms on Loss and Damage.

We have less than a decade remaining to cut global emissions by 50%.

The further delay of these aspects of UNFCCC until COP26 in 2021 is of serious concern.

I hope the combined knowledge, experience and collaborative spirit at this forum will bring about creative ideas for how to move forward NOW regardless of the old and the new hurdles we face. As they say “difficulties are there to be overcome”.

So, I once again express my appreciation for the leadership shown by AOSIS and Belize as the chair in organizing this important Forum, and thank you all for your can do spirit and participation.

Front Page Article:

Keynote Address at the AOSIS/LDC Event: “Leading the Way: Raising Ambition for Climate Action”

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 17:42:00 +0000

Keynote Address by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

20 September 2019
New York, USA

Honourable Ministers,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It always is both a privilege and responsibility to deliver a keynote statement. But it is even more so at this important moment on the eve of the Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit! and also just before other critical gatherings in this week’s series of Summits on sustainable development.

For months, countless experts in government, the private sector, civil society organizations and academia have done groundwork for the truly critical next few days.

People across the world answered the call to join young people and take part in the “Global Climate Strike”.

I think one critical step is taken - the sense of urgency and the sense that we must ACT and no longer hide behind words are firmly entrenched in people's minds and hearts.

AOSIS and the LDC groups have contributed a lot to this growing awareness by your extraordinary efforts in the lead-up to the Summit to ensure that our collective voice is heard and by leading the way in terms of ambition.

So, I wish to acknowledge the efforts of the Chair of AOSIS, the Chair of the LDCs in New York and the Chair of the LDCs in Bonn, as well as all the AOSIS and LDCs members that have co-led the Summit’s nine action areas, supported the coalitions and come forward with collective and individual initiatives.

Thank you all!

What unites us is that we truly are in the frontline of the climate change impacts and already so for a long time! There is no need to recall the growing list of truly catastrophic climate-related disasters in just recent years - Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Dominica, Lao PDR, Malawi, Puerto Rico, Somalia, Tanzania, or indeed my own country Tonga.

Our nations are not among what we call traditionally the most powerful.

But we have strength in numbers!

There are 44 states and observers of AOSIS and an additional 41 states from the LDC group. Do the maths!

While the populations of SIDS are small, the LDCs total one billion.

The strongest asset we have is to speak loudly, put our facts on the table and remain a united voice. We have done so, we must continue to do so, we must never waiver.

The IPCC Special Report on 1.5 Degrees is crystal clear on the extent and severity of expected climate change impacts. That is what is expected but think of what the SIDS and LDCs already experience since by times decades!

Now, mitigation, being pro- active rather than reacting after the fact at very high costs, yes it COSTS. And these are costs the often small- size and fragile economies cannot bear alone.

The need for finance per se and the need to expedite and simplify finance access is a TOP PRIORITY.

Access to concessional finance for reconstruction following climate-related disasters, irrespective of the per capita income category of a country is an equal priority.

We are talking survival and not luxury. We are talking stability rather than letting countries slide into instability. We are talking basic human rights.

International assistance must go beyond addressing immediate humanitarian emergencies over and over again and must step in to share the costs of longer-term re-building as well as loss and damage.

I applaud but above all support the broad array of initiative and pledges for ambitious climate change action by AOSIS and the LDCs.

The SIDS and LDCs' greenhouse gas emissions are low compared to the OECD countries. Yet, and once again at the forefront, AOSIS and LDCs will announce plans for low greenhouse gas emission development strategies – through the “SIDS 2020 Ambition Leadership Coalition” and the “LDC 2050 Vision: towards a climate resilient future.”

You lead with vision, care and truly by example. Your leadership will provide strong incentives to the rest of the world to follow suit.

Over and over I hear it myself and we all can see it - young people tell us they have heard enough words, they want action.

In the coming days, we must ensure a united voice and call for action. The call must resonate not only at the Climate Action Summit, but throughout the week until the SAMOA High-level MTR.

We must leverage this week to build additional partnerships and forge further alliances – with Member States, private sector leaders, academia, youth groups and civil society alike.

We ALL are concerned, we all are in the proverbial same boat and none of us has a plan B for our shared planet.

We must ensure that the momentum for action generated this week continues beyond the General Assembly High-level week. We must ensure it translates into concrete commitments in the NDCs for all. This is after all a truly multi- lateral, truly cross- border issue.

We must ensure we show our young generations that we ACT.

We must act TOGETHER and that means mobilizing the private sector, which has such a critical role to play in coming up with and sharing the technological innovation needed to shift away from fossil-fuel based economies and societies.

Engagement at the highest political level is a must and must happen at all possible occasions and fora.

COP25 in Santiago will be but only the first such opportunity. My Office will be there and beyond to support these efforts.

I would like to conclude by sharing with you a point made by H.E. Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados when she delivered the 16th Raúl Prebisch Lecture at UNCTAD last week in Geneva.

She argued that if vulnerable countries such as the SIDS were themselves to finance the costly process of building resilience, they would have to borrow more to do so. This would increase their debt to GDP ratio, and thereby impact negatively on their credit rating. The net effect would be simply to shift environmental vulnerability to economic vulnerability.

So, let us not fall into such vicious circle - we need a virtuous circle with no more time to squander.

Thank you.

Front Page Article:

2019 SIDS National Focal Point Meeting

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 18:42:00 +0000

Thursday, 25 July 2019 - 8:00am to Friday, 26 July 2019 - 5:00pm

INTRODUCTION

The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) and the Government of Cabo Verde are convening the second Small Island Developing States National Focal Points meeting from 25 to 26 July 2019 in Praia, Cabo Verde.

The meeting theme is: Implementation of the SAMOA Pathway in coherence with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The meeting will provide a platform to exchange information and share experiences on enhancing coherence in the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway, the dedicated programme of action for small island developing States (SIDS) as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the national levels.

OBJECTIVES

Discuss and share experiences and relevant strategies on pertinent SIDS related issues
Discuss the preparation of a toolkit for the harmonized approach for monitoring and reporting on the SAMOA Pathway
Formalize SIDS National Focal Point networks and activities by highlighting their main functions

EXPECTED OUTCOME

Preparing of a Toolkit for the harmonization of the SAMOA Pathway
Reporting on the discussions and conclusions
Adopting the Terms of Reference for the Network of SIDS National Focal Points

CO-ORGANISERS

The event is organized by UN-OHRLLS together with the Government of Cabo Verde.

PARTICIPANTS

The event will bring together Government designated National Focal Points of SIDS, members of the AOSIS Bureau, UN agencies including UNDP and DESA, and regional commissions including ESCAP and ECLAC.

DOCUMENTS

Background Materials

Presentations

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

tags:

SIDS

National Focal Points

SAMOA Pathway

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

AOSIS

Categories:

SIDS

Events

Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - AOSIS

Opening Remarks on the Climate Talk and Net Zero 2050: New Zealand and Pacific Island Countries

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

4 August 2020 New York, USA

Opening Remarks on Webinar for COVID-19: Lessons Learnt and Mapping the Way Forward

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

30 July 2020 New York, USA

Opening Remarks at the Placencia Ambition Forum

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

20 & 22 April 2020 New York, USA

Keynote Address at the AOSIS/LDC Event: “Leading the Way: Raising Ambition for Climate Action”

Keynote Address by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

20 September 2019 New York, USA

2019 SIDS National Focal Point Meeting

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES

EXPECTED OUTCOME

CO-ORGANISERS

PARTICIPANTS

DOCUMENTS

4 August 2020
New York, USA

30 July 2020
New York, USA

20 & 22 April 2020
New York, USA

20 September 2019
New York, USA