President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has called on all countries to scale up their climate ambitions to secure global climate goals.
President Solih made the statement while participating virtually in the Asia Regional Commonwealth Heads of Government roundtable, initiated by the Prince of Wales. Heads of the governments of Singapore, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Sri Lanka participated in this event.
In his address, President Solih called to ensure that countries who pledged climate financing uphold their commitments to assist small island states in tackling climate change. He also called on all nations to scale up their climate ambitions to secure global mean temperatures at a stable 1.5 degrees.
President Solih stated support in the form of clean technology investments and strengthened capacity is required in order to realise the Maldives’ goals to counter the adverse effects of climate change. He emphasised the importance of securing finances to drive these changes and requested the participants of the roundtable to advocate for this at the COP26 summit scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2021.
Reflecting on Maldives’ development plans following the COVID-19 pandemic, President Solih noted how the Maldivian economy is closely intertwined with the ocean. The president stated it is paramount that the country is able to protect its resources and rebuild the economy in a more circular and sustainable manner. He added resilience and adaptation are key pillars in Maldives’ climate plans.
President Solih also highlighted steps taken by his administration towards transforming Maldives’ development approach towards greener and more resilient pathways. He noted how the Maldives had ratified a Climate Emergency Act, which includes a framework for Maldives’ ambitious plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. He further highlighted the Maldives’ partnership with Blue Prosperity Coalition for maritime spatial planning and that designated protected areas had been established in every atoll in the nation.
The meeting concludes part of a series of regional Commonwealth Roundtables where the Prince of Wales has engaged with Commonwealth heads of governments on topics of economic recovery, climate change and sustainable investment opportunities. The roundtables are designed to help establish areas of joint Commonwealth action in the lead up to COP26.