Page 35 - IB December 2021

Opinion Opinion

would have moved the most indifferent to tears. The talanoa finance targets, like many others from the developing world.
group members did not have any doubt at all that Minister COP26 and the developed countries did respond. However, the
Paeniu took the region forward from where the late Minister Conference noted the shortfall and the various commitments
de Brun of RMI had left off. He placed the region firmly in for future compliance. On Adaptation Finance, for example,
focus in the context of United Nations Framework Convention the Climate Pact “notes with concern that the current provi-
on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He answered Barbados Prime sion of climate finance for adaptation remains insufficient to
Minister Mia Mottley’s rhetorical question: ‘When will Leaders respond to worsening climate change impacts in developing
lead?’ As far as the group members are concerned, neither the country Parties.”
PIF Secretariat, nor the PIF Chair, was able to stamp its pres- Loss and Damage was another area of concern for the
ence and mana at COP26. group. This is partially financial and the shortfall in com-
The churches, it has to be said, were not to be left behind. mitment was also noted. The members noted further “the
Reverend James Bhagwan, General Secretary of the Pacific urgency of scaling up action and support, as appropriate,
Council of Churches, travelled extensively in Europe, prior to including finance, technology transfer and capacity-building,
COP26, conveying the message of the exigencies of climate for implementing approaches for averting, minimizing and ad-
change as being experienced in the Pacific. He actively dressing loss and damage …..in developing countries.”
sought, inter alia, moral support wherever he stopped during The aspect of transparency, another area of concern, is
his European tour. multi-faceted and can be problematic to monitor and assess,
The talanoa group had hoped that the lessons from the for example, in the area of Nationally Determined Contribu-
region’s experience in COVID-19 would be taken into account tions (NDCs) and their respective levels of ambition. However,
in COP26 to preferentially benefit PSIDS at the forefront of the group noted that COP26 itself, in the context of the
the war against climate change. It was a long shot, but the UNFCCC is a means to transparency and reporting. We remain
group members dutifully noted the Glasgow Climate Pact and reassured by this.
rekindled their hopes. The reference to coronavirus pandemic COP26 has come and gone. There will be future COPs. His-
is included under the Pact’s Preamble immediately preceding torians will probably look back and write that Glasgow was an
that which, inter alia, “acknowledging that climate change opportunity to save humanity. It didn’t quite happen. How-
is a common concern of humankind, Parties should, when ever, deferring critical decisions keeps humanity’s
taking action to address climate change, respect, promote hope alive.
and consider their respective obligations on human rights, the
right to health, the rights of indigenous peoples, local com- editor@islandsbusiness.com
munities…….people in vulnerable situations and the right to
development.” The author is a former Fijian Ambassador and Foreign Minis-
The group had placed a lot of hope on meeting climate ter and runs his own consultancy company in Suva, Fiji.

Tuvalu’s Simon Kofe sends a message to COP26. Photos: Tuvalu Government

Islands Business, December 2021 35