Seychelles, Aosis co-host virtual regional workshop |03 September 2021

Minister Joubert addressing the meeting virtually

Seychelles through the department of climate change and energy with the support of Antigua and Barbuda, in its capacity as chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis), has organised a coordination workshop for climate negotiators in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea region.

The objectives of the regional workshop were to review the technical papers developed by the Aosis and advance the negotiating positions on key climate change issues, to identify the high level “champions” from each country of the region for key climate change topics and to prepare for their full implementation under the Paris Agreement before COP 26.

To allow the full implementation of the Paris Agreement, this year, it is imperative that countries reach an agreement to finalise outstanding issues under the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP). The work programme aims to deliver the package of rules needed to put into operation and implement the Paris Treaty.

The Aosis is a coalition of small island states and low-lying coastal countries that share similar development challenges, concerns about the environment and climate change.

The Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, Flavien Joubert, together with the technical staff from the department of climate change including the technical advisor for the climate change department, Wills Agricole, followed the workshop.

The three-day virtual workshop kicked off on Tuesday and ended yesterday.

The participating countries from the region were from Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Sao Tomé and Principe, Singapore and Guinea Bissau. As countries around the world including Seychelles prepare for the upcoming conference of the Parties (COP 26), every country’s contribution on climate action will be vital.

Addressing his fellow participants at the workshop, Minister Joubert commended the Aosis climate change coordinators for their outspoken advocacy on the issue of climate change which poses continuing and growing threats which require immediate action to ensure a sustainable future for our members, our region, our communities and for our families.

“How can we operationalise the Paris Agreement so that the issues that are of significance to our region, such as pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels through ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reductions and support adaptation through upscaled and accessible Long-Term Finance as well as ensuring the

contentious issue of Loss and Damage are more than adequately addressed? The key underlining principle of the Paris Agreement is that no-one should be left behind and that everyone counts.

“I strongly urge all of you to make the most of the three days to take advantage of the expertise that this workshop has brought together to facilitate and support your participation and leadership in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations. I believe that we can all work together as a region to continue to build on the positive momentum and help Aosis move forward with its positions so that we can lead the way to achieve a just transition as we switch to the full implementation mode of the global Paris Agreement treaty,” Minister Joubert stated.

Contributed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment