Maldives delegation at Bali Climate Conference

25 December 2007
Report: Ayya

Maldives has put its best efforts at the Bali Conference on Climate Change to muster maximum support from developed countries and developing countries to island developing countries for urgent adaptation and mitigation measures. The delegation worked in the same manner for the LDC countries of which it is the chairman in UNFCCC matters.

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who has spearheaded the issue of global warming and climate change in the international community during the past 20 years was one of the key note speakers at the opening of the conference. President's speech calling for urgent action to tackle climate change and not to miss the golden opportunity in Bali for his leadership and commitment to the climate cause was applauded.

Maldives delegation in Bali worked very closely with the small island states and LDCs during the hard and lengthy negotiations that preceded the final declaration. Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid who accompanied the President, spoke at a meeting of negotiators highlighting the plight of Maldives and how urgently small island countries require assistance for adaptation and mitigation measures.

The delegation while maintaining very close coordination with other member states participated in the negotiations extensively. Environment Minister Ahmed Abdullah joined these negotiations and spoke for the LDCs and small island states. Main thrust of these negotiations was on adaptation, mitigation, finance and affordable transfer of technology which these countries need most urgently for their survival. Executive Director of Planning Ministry Dr. Mohamed Shareef and Asst Director General of Environment Ministry Amjad Abdullah participated in all negotiations very actively. They were assisted by Environment Ministry's Asst DG Mohamed Zuhair, Director Ahmed Jameel, Deputy Director Ibrahim Naeem and Deputy Director of DPH Geela Ali.

The increasing threats of climate change faced by Maldives which include extensive coastal erosion, unprecedented swells, extreme weather patterns, destroying of the coral reef, depletion of marine and other resources. Declining tuna fishing and recent incident of thousands of reef fish dying were also brought to attention.

Minister Ahmed Abdullah spoke in the plenary on behalf of Least Developed Countries and said these countries deserve immediate assistance and climate change is now a global emergency which needed to be tackled without delay to save a planet in peril. He called all members all parties to pledge their full commitment and make history in Bali.