More than half of the territory of the Maldives is less than a metre above sea level
, territory, population and greenhouse-gas emissions. On most issues their voice barely registers on the world stage. Yet on climate matters they have, over three decades, become an effective lobby.
They have managed to get wording included in climate accords that addresses their specific concerns—on losses and damages from climate change, for example, or on their need for financial support to adapt to it. In the Paris agreement of 2015 the inclusion of an aspiration to restrain global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels was “almost entirely down toand other developing states”, according to Mr Lynas.
Island leaders do not mince their words. Take the recent summit of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu. Australia, one of the group’s 18 members, insisted on removing references to coal in the final declaration and on softening the language. Tuvalu’s prime minister, Enele Sopoaga, chided his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison: “You are concerned about saving your economy in Australia…I am concerned about saving my people in Tuvalu.
Nor is it clear that the island states are winning the diplomatic fight. Apparent victories in public forums can get beaten back in subsequent bureaucratic battles. As the spat with Australia in Tuvalu shows, and as arguments ahead of next week’s review of thePathway also suggest, the island states still find themselves having to argue over language that reflects the scale of action needed.
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