Solomon Islands Welcome COP28 Historic and Milestone Decision to Operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund

Dubai Expo City: United Arab Emirates

The Solomon Islands Government welcomes the historic and milestone decision made on the first day of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP28 Meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The loss and damage fund was agreed to at the COP27 in Egypt and its operationalisation process was result of the work of the transitional committee which made recommendations for endorsement by COP28.

The president of COP28, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaking after the fund operationalisation was endorsed exclaimed that this is first time in the history where a decision was made on the first day of a UNFCCC COP. He commended those who have worked hard to formulate the modalities for the operation of fund and further announced the pledge from UAE to contribute 100 million USD towards the fund. The German Government, UK, Japan, the United States and EU have also made pledges.

Dr Melchior Mataki, deputy head of Solomon Islands delegation to the UNFCCC COP28 expressed his satisfaction for the progress being made and stated that this is a priority for the Solomon Islands as part of the Pacific SIDS and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) at COP27.  He welcomes the spirit of cooperation and commitment to operationalise the LnD fund and calls for similar cooperation be translated into reducing emissions which is the driver of LnD. He further stated that whilst the country welcome the pledges being made in particular from developed country parties, we need to ensure that these pledges are being delivered so that loss and damage can be addressed in the most vulnerable countries like the Solomon Islands.

Solomon Islands is among the most vulnerable countries in the world have seen communities and livelihoods being devasted by climate change with entire island going underwater and communities being driven from their homes, livelihood and resources.  The operationalisation of Loss and Damage Fund will unlock financial resources to address a variety of challenges associated with the adverse effects of climate change, such as climate-related emergencies, sea level rise, displacement, relocation, migration, insufficient climate information and data, and the need for climate-resilient reconstruction and recovery.

For the Solomon Islands, the most vulnerable communities are grappling with the impacts of climate induced disasters and impacts due to coastal inundation, water, food security issues and scarce resources from both the land and sea. The rise in sea level is causing intensive coastal inundation that negatively impacts coastal and marine ecosystems and community livelihoods.

Mr Fred Siho Patison, SPREP Climate Finance Readiness Advisor, and providing support to Pacific SIDS and speaking from Dubai stated that the fund has been a priority for Pacific SIDS since COP27, although the issue of loss and damage has been on agenda for the past thirty years.  This is a historic moment, but the real work is yet to be done to ensure that countries like the Solomon Island and other Pacific Island countries are able to access the financial resources to support vulnerable people and communities that need it the most.

The Solomon Islands Delegation and other Pacific SIDS at the UNFCCC COP28 will be engaged in another two weeks of negotiations on other critical areas and agendas on climate change. The Solomon Island Government continues to call for decisive action on the 100-billion-dollar goal, doubling of adaptation finance and a clear definition on climate finance to inform the discussion on a new collective and quantitative goal on climate change (NCQG). Solmon Islands further join other small island development states to call on developed country parties to fulfill their commitments and obligation under the Parish Agreement to keep the 1.5-degree goal alive and take more action to support vulnerable countries-built climate change resilience. The UNFCCC COP28 is held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 30 November to 12 December 2023.

MECDM Press