Pacific Islands appeal for overdue climate change aid
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In an urgent appeal to the United Nations, the Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS) on Tuesday called on developed countries to advance progress that has been stalled in delivering financial resources for climate change adaptation and mitigation projects.
Chair of the Pacific SIDS Marlene Moses expressed frustration over the "long overdue" aid at a briefing by the UN secretary-general's Advisory Group on climate change finance (AGF), which wrapped up a two-day meeting in New York on Tuesday.
Moses, who also serves as the ambassador of Nauru to the United Nations, said that despite possessing minimal responsibility for the onset of climate change, the Pacific SIDS bear the brunt of its impact.
"It is undermining our food security, water security and territorial integrity. Climate change is man-made disaster and redress for the damage being done to our islands is long overdue," said Moses at the AGF briefing.
Tasked with assessing long-term financial sources for adaptation and mitigation projects, the AGF will conclude its work with a forthcoming report.
However, the Group is not expected to issue its recommendations until late October, weeks before the climate change conference set to take place in Cancun, Mexico.
Moses stressed the need to bypass the stalled progress in the ongoing climate change negotiations.
"There are only twelve negotiating days left before Cancun. We cannot delay discussions if we are to conclude an agreement by the end of the year," she said.
The Pacific SIDS urged developed countries to fulfill their commitment to provide the support under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change --194 countries are party to the Convention, which entered into force in 1994.
In collaboration with the UN, the Pacific SIDS work to raise issues unique to the countries in their region.
The entity comprises the missions of Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
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