4 December 2023, Dubai, UAE – It is estimated that more than 90,000 people have converged on Dubai for the 28th Conference of the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate (UNFCCC COP28). Amongst these people is a humble Pacific delegation of a little over 400 delegates who are are bringing a strong and unified One Pacific Voice to COP28, some of them seasoned COP negotiators, and others experiencing COP for the first time.
One of these people is Ms Sariah Magaoa of Niue, who has been following the events attended by Niue Premier Hon. Dalton Tagelagi, and Niue Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Mona Ainu’u.
“It’s Day 5 here at my first COP and so far it’s been pretty overwhelming with so many issues to follow and so many events happening all at the same time,” she said.
“I’ve been very honoured to witness our Niue high-level delegates delivering statements throughout side events throughout the COP in order to share our message and amplify it not only to the Pacific but to world leaders.
“It’s been very empowering for me not only as a young and future leader for Niue, but for the Pacific,” she added.
Representing the Kingdom of Tonga at her first COP, Ms Elizabeth Kite echoed Ms Magaoa’s sentiments on how overwhelming the whole process has been for her given the amount of work that is being done by so many individuals from around the world in just one location.
“It’s really intense but it’s also inspiring at the same time to see people collectively come together to help us in the Pacific Islands who are the most vulnerable to the climate crisis to find a way to survive what is looking to be a very scary future,” she said.
Ms Kite has been following Adaptation and Just Transition at COP28 and five days in has already seen intense discussions taking place.
“I’m particularly interested in seeing a just transition into green and renewable energy. There’s a lot of push for that and there’s still a lot of time left here at COP for us to continue pushing for the phasing out of fossil fuels as this is what we need to achieve the 1.5 goal that will enable us to survive and also to protect our homes,” she added.
Mr James Viernes of the Pacific Islands Development Programme is also attending COP for the first time as part of the One-CROP team of regional organisations in the Pacific, who are supporting the Pacific negotiators and helping them navigate the issues that are being discussed during the two-week conference.
“It’s a huge venue, the whole world is here, there are so many issues to follow and so many side events to attend, but it’s a real honour to work as part of One-CROP to support our Pacific Small Island Developing States,” Mr Viernes says.
“While it i hard work, i’s also heart work for us as regional public servants to be here to serve and support our countries.”
Mr Viernes has been following Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) as part of the One-CROP support team, providing support for the Pacific Political hampion for Gender as well as the PSIDS and Alliance Of Small Island State coordinator.
When asked how the discussions on GESI are going, Mr Viernes said that it’s going well so far, and that there have been a lot of great side events that are getting the discussions going.
“Our main priority here at COP28 is mainstreaming GESI concerns and issues across the thematic areas – whether that’s just transition or global stocktake, adaptation or loss and damage – and supporting our negotiators to get language and commitments to support GESI stakeholders whether they be women and girls, youth, indigenous communities, people with disabilities, and anyone vulnerable that need greater access and inclusion to climate action discussions and support.”
“We’re trying to get that language in so that those people are not left behind.”
The Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion at COP28 is a Pacific partnership with Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia managed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The Pavilion was featured at the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change hosted in Dubai, UAE from 30 November – 12 December 2023.
To learn more about the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion please visit: www.sprep.org/moana-blue-pacific/