“We in the Pacific want to maintain the 1.5 to stay alive because our lives are non-negotiable. It is a lifeline for us."
Hon. Maina Talia, Minister -Tuvalu-- Pacific High Level Climate Champion for Just Transition
Nov 20th, Baku, COP29--The Pacific’s Political Just Transition champion, Hon. Maina Talia, Minister of Local Government, Climate Change, and Environment for Tuvalu, provided updates during the fourth round of the State of Play sessions at COP29, shedding light on the progress and challenges faced as the conference enters its final days.
“On Monday, we had a ministerial roundtable on ‘Just Transition’ and ‘Mitigation,’ and yesterday we had a ministerial consultation with co-chairs. But the problem I see is that, despite co-chairs being mandated by the presidency to hold these consultations, in fact, everything is controlled by the COP presidency,” Minister Talia shared.
While progress has been made on just transition and mitigation, the minister noted that significant pushback remains.
“But the good thing is that we are moving forward, and they are listening to us,” he added.
Finance as a Priority Issue
A key focus for Tuvalu and the Pacific is ensuring COP29 delivers on climate finance.
“We are here to ensure that industrialized countries need to pay up for the impacts of climate change we are going through, and our main advocacy message is the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). Unfortunately, there has only been a small step forward on this,” Minister Talia said.
He highlighted recent developments as positive, albeit limited.
“Of course, there is always pushback on finance and related issues, but we are seeing some small baby steps. Yesterday, there were some pledges made, and it was a good sign going into the Loss and Damage fund,” he noted.
Key priorities for the Pacific include improving access to Loss and Damage funds for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and maintaining the global temperature goal of 1.5°C.
“It means that we really need to look into our NDCs [Nationally Determined Contributions] and mitigation as well, because we cannot talk about 1.5 and then have very weak language around mitigation and NDCs,” Minister Talia emphasized.
“We in the Pacific want to maintain the 1.5 to stay alive because our lives are non-negotiable. It is a lifeline for us,” he added.
The minister also underscored the need for NCQG allocations to prioritize SIDS and least developed countries (LDCs), with $39 billion earmarked for SIDS and $220 billion for LDCs. However, negotiations have been hindered by persistent pushbacks.
Navigating Delays and Obstruction Tactics
Joining the briefing, SPREP Director General Sefanaia Nawadra addressed the familiar tactics of delays in negotiations.
“What is happening here is not unusual; it is what usually happens. Countries will delay things until the very last minute. It is all part of the strategy of trying to wear people down,” DG Nawadra explained.
He stressed the importance of Pacific negotiators maintaining clear and simple positions to avoid being ensnared in unnecessary complications.
“The cornerstone of everything the Pacific does is the 1.5 goal. Many of the current agenda items have already been negotiated. There is no need to reopen them because that is also a tactic. Countries that want to obstruct always try to reopen an issue that has already been discussed and decided,” he said.
DG Nawadra emphasized the value of experienced negotiators who can identify and counter such delaying strategies.
“It is not our job to resolve; it is our job to make our case,” the DG concluded, leaving a strong message of determination as the Pacific continues its fight for climate justice at COP29. —ENDS. Sera Sefeti, Guest Editor, COP29 Pacific State of Play.
