The Honorable John M. Silk
Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce of the Republic of the Marshall Islands
National Statement at COP28, Dubai
Island states like my own have been coming to COP for years to try to convince others that our future in our homes matters.
Despite our best efforts, we are far, far off track. We cannot pretend otherwise. With current policies, the planet is on track to a 2.9 future. We cannot adapt to temperature rise that high; the loss and damage will be incalculable. It will be our death sentence.
Mr. President and Ministers,
We will not go silently to our watery graves. Therefore, we cannot and will not accept an outcome from this COP that does not set us on a course for a future that stays within the 1.5C temperature limit and lead to a more resilient world.
We have heard that we need a pragmatic outcome from COP. There is no more pragmatic response to the climate crisis than phasing out fossil fuels and investing in a resilient and just world.
If we use this COP as an opportunity to find loopholes that serve the interests of the few over the needs of the many – history will hold us in judgment.
How we respond to the GST this year will be critical. We will not leave here accepting an outcome that does anything less than protecting a safe future in our territory.
We need an agreement on a framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation. We cannot afford for this issue to become mired in technicalities.
This week, my country launched our first National Adaptation Plan. It sets out pathways for our country to adapt, and to preserve the self-determination that is our birthright.
These pathways bring hope. We plan to implement nature-based solutions, and to strengthen our infrastructure, education and healthcare systems to make our society more resilient.
But we have had to face the reality that the pathways that we have ahead of us also bring loss. In our NAP, we say that by 2040 we will need to be deciding which atolls can no longer be protected. ‘Planned relocation’ means tearing people from their ancestral islands that they depend on, that their culture is based on; that holds the bones of their forefathers, and legends passed on through generations.
We are in this position because we have been led by self-interest and short-term profits for too long. We have imagined that we could act on climate change slowly; we imagined that the most cautious thing to do was to take our time.
The most prudent decision now is drastic, urgent action to quickly phase out fossil fuels.
If we further the myth that we can continue to exploit fossil fuel resources with no end in sight, this COP will not be credible.
We need to phase out fossil fuels. In the words of the Secretary General: “Not reduce. Not abate. Phase out.”
This will not be easy. We need every country – led by major emitters – to reflect these commitments in NDCs, and we need a clear follow-up process to make sure that this is really a plan, not just another unmet promise.
We cannot face this challenge without a new approach to climate finance. An approach that values accountability, and keeping promises like the $100 billion and the doubling of adaptation finance. That recognizes the need to think about every way that we can
bring money towards addressing this crisis. In the Marshalls we have spearheaded the call for a GHG levy in maritime shipping, as we’ve sought solutions that can both bring down emissions and generate funds for the world’s vulnerable.
Mr. President, ministers,
We have heard about the importance of an inclusive COP each year, and we are disappointed by the exclusion of Taiwan. Resolution 2758, which is used to justify its exclusion, does not address the issue of Taiwan’s representation in the United Nations, nor does it state that Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China. Taiwan is not, nor has it ever been, part of the PRC. Taiwan’s exclusion is wrong, and moves us farther away from the goals of this organization.
We support Taiwan’s appeal in UNFCCC as an observer. Taiwan has implemented a plan to reduce carbon emissions, cultivated a framework for international development assistance and is ready to share its experience and technology. We call on all parties to support Taiwan’s participation in the UNFCCC.
The people of Taiwan enjoy the same rights as the peoples of other nations; they must not be left behind, nor should their contributions be ignored.
Mr. President, ministers,
If you protect the most vulnerable, you protect the world. We are here in Dubai to fight for our island homes, and for our people’s right to determine our nation’s future. We ask you all to stand with us.
Kommol tata. –ENDS
