President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Tuesday delivered his statement at the Commonwealth Leaders’ Summit held in Glasgow, Scotland on the sidelines of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).
Addressing state leaders and dignitaries at the summit, the Maldivian president pleaded to make the right decisions, as the future of Maldives depends heavily on the decisions of today.
The president stated that millions across the globe are suffering because of climate change, stressing that if the right decisions here and now are not made, billions more will suffer, including the entire population of the Maldives who will be stripped of their livelihoods, their identity and their homes.
Highlighting that Maldives faces the catastrophic impacts of climate change through rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions, the president stated that the globe is currently enveloped in unprecedented challenges aggravated by the climate emergency.
The Maldivian president added that Maldivians, who are working day in and out “to live a life of dignity”, face the real threat of ending up as climate refugees, stating that the Maldivian people deserve a safe place to live, “as much as anyone else in this room”.
We may be small in numbers, but in no way, are we any less deserving of the right to live in our own country, without the threat of impending disaster. My people deserve a safe place to live, as much as anyone else in this room.”Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of Maldives.
Stressing that there has never been a more important time for global friendship than now, Solih stated that climate change poses a real threat to the security, prosperity, and socio-economic development of all people and is not just an environmental issue.
Urging the global leaders to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase of this century to below 1.5 degrees, Solih also pushed them to ensure assistance pledged to help Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to overcome their vulnerability does not remain just “numbers on paper”.
President Solih stated that ensuring the resources including food, safe drinking water and shelter, that are key for survival are accessible to all, is very important at this stage.
My country contributes very little to global greenhouse emissions, yet we continue to show leadership with our actions and to advocate for greater efficiency and urgency in climate action. The Maldives is aiming to achieve Net Zero by 2030. I am aware that this is ambitious, but our ambition comes from necessity. This is the 26th COP and my people cannot afford 26 more. I invite you to ask yourself, why are you not as ambitious as us?”Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of Maldives.
Further, he stated that a collaborative common approach may be the single biggest contribution this organization can make to address climate change as a platform that includes over 30 small states.
