20 November 2024, Baku Azerbaijan - Inclusive participation and respect for indigenous wisdom is essential to amplify the voices of vulnerable communities on the front lines of the climate crisis. Kiribati, a low-lying atoll nation at the forefront of the impacts of climate change, amplified this message on the world’s biggest climate change platform at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Speaking to world leaders during the resumed High Level segment of COP29 on Wednesday, His Excellency David Ateti Teaabo, Ambassador of the Republic of Kiribati to the People’s Republic of China, said parties must be united by the urgent responsibility to address the climate crisis, which he described as the “defining security threat of our time.”
“Our struggle is not solely for survival; it is also for the preservation of our culture and future generations,” said Ambassador Teaabo. “The scientific consensus is clear: limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is vital!
“We call upon developed nations to lead in mobilising public climate finance. We emphasise the need to integrate indigenous knowledge, which have long fortified our resilience, to be respected and reflected in financial frameworks. Let us commit to climate justice, innovation, and the respect of indigenous wisdom.”
For Kiribati, who contributes minimal to global emissions, Ambassador Teaabo said climate change is not an abstract challenge.
“Climate change for us is a daily reality. Rising seas and intensifying natural disasters threaten our homes, our livelihoods, and our very way of life,” he said. “Kiribati’s key message to COP 29 is very clear: keeping 1.5 degrees alive and keeping our climate resilience sustainable.”
At COP29, Kiribati is amongst Pacific delegations raising their voice to advocate the Pacific’s positions and messaging on priority thematic areas including Finance (NCQG), Mitigation, Just Transition, Adaptation, Finance, Article 6, Oceans and Climate Change, Loss and Damage, Global Stocktake (GST) and Gender and Social Inclusion.
The two week climate change negotiations is the latest crucial step in tackling the climate crisis with urgency and ambition.
Kiribati acknowledges the importance of the 100 billion US dollars annual Climate Finance Commitment to support developing nations, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
“However, while this pledge is a critical step toward addressing our unique vulnerabilities, it falls far short of meeting the scale of the challenges we face. The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance must be predictable and accessible. For us, this funding is crucial to strengthen coastal defenses, secure freshwater resources, and build resilient infrastructure.”
Addressing loss and damage to counter the impacts beyond what adaptation alone can manage is another key ask for Kiribati.
“Transparency, accountability, and regular reviews of the NCQG are fundamental to ensure that it meets the evolving needs for our resilient infrastructure including roads, wharves, jetties, causeways and airfields,” said Ambassador Teaabo. “The time to act is now, for our planet and all its people.”
The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is taking place from 11-22 November 2024 in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan.
It is being attended by Pacific leaders and their delegations, who are advocating for the survival of Pacific communities who continue to be at the forefront of climate change impacts.
A key part of amplifying the One Pacific Voice at COP29 is the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion and the Pacific Delegation Office.
The Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion at COP29 is a Pacific partnership with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand managed by SPREP and the Pacific Delegation Office at COP29 is a Pacific partnership with the New Zealand Government managed by SPREP.