Virtual Conference on climate change held

16 November 2007
Report: Ayya

Maldives Foreign Minister, Abdulla Shahid , Foreign Secretary of UK David Milliband and Foreign Minister of Malta Michael Frendo jointly held a historic virtual press conference, through Second Life, to draw global attention to the devastating effects of climatic change on the world’s Small Island States. The virtual conference also highlighted the effects of global warming on individual people around the world.

At the conference the Foreign Ministers expressed their joint commitments to tackling climate change as the international community heads toward Climate Change Summit in Bali scheduled for next month.

Abdulla Shahid Maldives Foreign Minister, speaking at the Conference said that “20 years ago the President of Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, warned assembled world leaders in the UN that climate change, if left unchecked, would mean the death of Maldives and many more like it”.
Noting the more recent events and the initiatives Maldives has taken in the efforts to bring the devastating impacts of global climatic change, Minister Shahid said “try to turn the page on these years of empty rhetoric and failed promises, Maldives has organized a meeting of Small Island States intended to look at different options for turning rhetoric in to action and promises in to results. In particular we have been discussing the Human Dimension of Climatic Change. This approach aims to emphasize the individual impact of climatic change.”

In concluding his remarks Minister Shahid said “we have waited for 20 years. We cannot afford to wait another 20 years. In the real world there is no second Life”.

Speaking on the Human Dimension of Climate Change, the UK Foreign Secretary David Milliband told the members of Association of Small Island States that “you are the front line of the battle against climate change. I thin you can send not just very clear alarm, but also a very clear message to the international community”. He further said “all countries must live up to their responsibilities in this important area”.

Maltese Foreign Minister stressed the need for capacity building of small island states. He said “Climate Change affects all of us, with limited human and financial resources needed in order to articulate our position our position in the global diplomatic forum.”

Minister Frendo announced that Malta will host a Climate Change Diplomacy Conference in February of 2008.

The virtual conference was held at the end of an important meeting of the world’s Small Island States in the Maldives from 13 to 14 of this month. The meeting was aimed to raise international awareness about the flight of Small Island States ahead of Bali summit.

At the end of the Conference, the states adopted Male’ Declaration on Human Dimension of Global Climate Change, the first ever international instrument to address the issue of negative effects of climate changes on the full enjoyment of human rights.