WHILE NOT discounting that some progress was made at the recently concluded United Nations Bonn Climate Change Conference, SB64, small island states are less than pleased with how critical matters, including financing and adaptation, were handled.

“The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is expressing grave concern that countries have not laid a strong foundation for success at COP31 [the global climate talks set for Antalya, Türkiye in November]. AOSIS emphasises that countries must demonstrate genuine commitment to the spirit of multilateralism to meet one of the greatest challenges of our time,” said the group in a June 18 statement.

In fact, they insist that the progress at Bonn was out of step with the scale of escalating climate change impacts. Those impacts are fuelled by the human consumption of fossil fuels such as oil and gas, that drive emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide; and include the blistering heat now plaguing countries in the Caribbean as well as Europe and North America, with significant negative implications for public health.