Statement by Ambassador Ahmed Sareer, Charge’ d’affairs of the Permanent Mission of the Maldives to the United Nations on Agenda Item 20 – Sustainable Development, (a)-(i), 7 November 2012
Mr. Chairman,
At the outset, let me express my appreciation to the dedicated work of the United Nations in addressing the climate change and issues of sustainable development. We are particularly grateful to the Secretary-General for his reports produced under this agenda item.
Mr. Chairman,
Few days ago, we saw this part of the world struck by Hurricane Sandy. Our deepest sympathies go to the people of the affected countries for the loss of life and devastation caused by the super-storm. While Sandy battered the Caribbean and North America, the Maldives was experiencing unprecedented extreme weather attributed by Cyclone Neelam in the Bay of Bengal. It caused extensive damage to over 30 out of 196 inhabited islands, damaging critical infrastructures including water and sewerage system, houses, schools, agricultural lands etc. This year alone, we have seen many others extraordinary events of floods, drought, heat waves, and blizzards all over the world. This has further cemented the work of the scientific community, especially by the Special Report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last November which indicated that extreme hot days and heavy precipitation events had become more common since 1950 and that there is increasing evidence of anthropogenic influences, such as the high concentration of atmospheric Greenhouse Gas (GHG), that had contributed to these extraordinary events. Yet, skeptics among the scientific community still continue to deny relating these unusual weather patterns to climate change.
Mr. Chairman,
Twenty five years ago, the Maldives alerted the international community of the threat it may cause from unprecedented storms and sea level rise due to climate change. Today, it is indeed a global issue. Although, our GHG concentration accounts less that 0.01% to global emission, the Maldives is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and sea level rise. It is the most challenging development issue facing the Maldives today and is not only an option that derives the Maldives foreign and security policy; it is a mere necessity for the country’s security and survival.
Yet, the Maldives has made a genuine and ambitious commitment towards achieving low carbon economy. The country hopes to generate 60% of its electricity from solar power and 40% through wind and biomass, without raising the cost of power to its consumers. Recently, the Maldivian government has introduced a new import regime to ensure that in the future, electric cars will be a third of the price of conventional gasoline cars. We have also pledged to spend a significant percent of our national income on renewable energy deployment in the country. The government has also launched a 5-year investment plan to massively transform the country’s energy sector to renewable energy from solar, wind and waste. The Maldives has eradicated CFC’s well ahead of time and will also be the first country to phase out HCFC’s. As we embark on this ambitious programme of low carbon footprint, we request the international community to assist us, as well as other States that have taken similar initiatives in this regard, to enter into collaborative arrangements with us.
We are confident that the Rio+20, and through, the UNFCCC we would be able to achieve ambitious targets to reduce GHG emission to help increase the use of green energy. With this in mind, we are keenly looking forward to COP18. In Doha, we can move the second commitment of Kyoto Protocol, from lengthy negotiations to implementation as of 1 January 2013, the broad framework we have been building under Ad hoc working Group under Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) into firm implementation. My Delegation is fully aware of the enormous challenges ahead. But this would be an important opportunity to launch the immediate implementation of what we have achieved so far into concrete action, at the same time take the very first step in designing what we want for the future in keeping the 2 degree world.
Mr. Chairman,
Rio+20 also provided a glimmer of hope for Maldives and other low-lying countries that fear for their territorial integrity through sea level rise, coastal erosion, coral bleaching, and ocean acidification. My Delegation welcomes the Secretary General’s ocean initiative launched on 12th of August this year in South Korea to deliver the ocean related mandates consistent with Rio’s outcome document in a more coherent and effective manner. We hope that this initiative will create a platform for all stakeholders at national and international levels to collaborate and accelerate progress in the achievement of the common goals. Preserving the oceans through its protection and sustainable use is vital for the wellbeing of our future generations.
Mr. Chairman,
The Maldives has achieved five out of the eight MDGs well before the 2015 deadline. However, Maldives progress in achieving environment sustainability is relatively slow. Like any other SIDS, the Maldives is also confronted with a number of challenges. With two years to go before the deadline, there is an urgent need to develop strategies to sustain the gains and accelerate MDG achievement. Thus, the Government with the participation of the stakeholders and the support of the UN system has been formulating an MDG Acceleration Framework to guide the country towards achieving the MDGs by 2015.
In order to continue to work towards these goals beyond 2015, the Maldives is heartened by the initiative at Rio+20 to create SDGs. However, the key to its success depends on the political commitment of member countries to Sustainable Development. My delegation fully concurs with the view that the SDGs should cover topics such as changing consumption patterns, promoting sustainable human settlement development, water resources and energy from renewable sources. We should ensure that the SDGs would have universal application, unlike the MDGs, which are applied to only developing countries.
Mr. Chairman,
The unique and particular vulnerabilities of SIDS triggered our call last year, along with many other SIDS, for a third global conference on SIDS to continue the progress we made in Barbados in 1994 and Mauritius in 2005. My Delegation is, therefore, pleased to note that the third conference will be taking place in 2014, and in this regard, wishes to join others in supporting Samoa as the country begins its preparations to host the conference.
Mr. Chairman,
My Delegation is fully committed to the path towards Sustainable Development. It is a high-moral goal that conceptualizes the multi-faceted challenges of economic growth, social development and environmental protection. We were delighted by the United Nations resolve to address these challenges in Rio+20. My Delegation hopes that the principles we negotiated in Rio are upheld, without going back, and that this Committee strives to strengthen and integrate them further, during our deliberations.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
