President Solih concludes trip to attend COP26 summit

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has concluded his trip to attend the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

The Maldivian president led a delegation of high-level government officials including Speaker of the Parliament and former President Mohamed Nasheed, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna and the Special Envoy for Climate Change, Sabra Ibrahim Noordeen, on the trip to Glasgow, Scotland.

The delegation departed from Maldives on October 29, and returned on Thursday.

During his trip, the Maldivian president delivered his National Statement at the COP26 World Leaders Summit on Monday, where he asserted that in a world the Maldives ceases to exist in, its fate will remain “a dark omen” of the “grim future” that awaits the rest of the world. Posing the important question of “What will it take for you to listen to us?” the Maldivian president stressed that Maldives will cease to exist by the end of the century if the harsh trends revolving around climate change are not reversed.

He also participated in several high-level summits and discussions where he advocated for major emitters to step up their nationally determined contributions and make even more ambitious commitments to achieving Net Zero, going on to push countries to forge into one major force to assist the most climate-vulnerable states to adapt to climate change.

During the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2019, Maldives announced its ambitious plan to reach net-zero by 2030, with international support.

The trip also saw Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al Hussein appointed advisor to the Maldives delegation.

President Solih went on to engage in discussions with world leaders and high-level delegates and participated in the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) - Commonwealth High-Level Panel Discussion, the high-level launching of the Energy Transition Accelerator Financing platform (ETAF) by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Roundtable Discussion on Understanding Island Climate.

The president on Tuesday delivered his statement at the Commonwealth Leaders’ Summit on the sidelines of COP26, where he pleaded world leaders to make the right decisions, as the future of Maldives depends heavily on the decisions of today.

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”.

President Solih touched down in London on Wednesday prior to concluding his trip, where he visited the travel and tourism expo in London, World Travel Market (WTM).

This marks the first time a Maldivian leader is joining the climate change conference, in the span of 12 years.

A major event for Maldives, COP26 is a great opportunity to address the country’s sustainable development plans on the global stage. As such, the incumbent administration has been vocal in the fiscal strain and climate vulnerabilities faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) during preceding global forums.

Hosted by the United Kingdom in collaboration with Italy, COP26 brings parties together to fast-track action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Over 190 leaders across the globe will participate in the summit, scheduled to begin on Sunday. The summit will proceed until November 12.