Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has urged the countries taking part in the 22nd Conference of the Parties, to keep moving forward in the fight against climate change.
In his address, Tuilaepa emphasized that slowing down now, is not acceptable.
“We have gathered in this wonderful city to determine how we can back up words with real action and in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Tuilaepa.
“We want to ensure that the decisions we make here are not simply procedural but are time-bound and action oriented,” he added.
Tuilaepa’s remarks pushed to further establish the attention of countries under the COP to focus on the issues faced by the Pacific island nations, and pushing the bill on improving funding for climate change and sustainable development goals.
”Marrakech, should be the start of strengthening countries’ ambition in line with the 1.5 degrees target and national long term country strategies,” he said.
The Samoan Prime Minister added, that there is urgency in increasing nationally determined contributions over the next two years, if the Paris Agreement’s essential temperature goals are to be reached.
“The need for a real balance between adaptation and mitigation expenditures as well as, finding ways to finance loss and damage, are essential to move the finance agenda forward,” he added.
Tuilaepa further stressed how important funding for Pacific island nations, or Small Island Developing states is, due to the amount of work that takes to help, mitigate, adapt or build resilience to the extreme events and effects of Climate Change.
“The early release of the finance roadmap for providing US$100 billion annually is critical,” he said.
The call on the parties to be more involved in the fight has become a must for developed nations, if they are to avoid not meeting requirements already passed and agreed on in COP21 2015.
