Seychelles appeals to world leaders to take concrete actions to save the planet |30 October 2021

President Ramkalawan during the interview with CNN's Lynda Kinkade

President Wavel Ramkalawan has launched a strong appeal to world leaders to stop living in denial, but to face the reality that climate change is real and they need to stop talking and start taking action because small countries like Seychelles are vulnerable and need help now.

President Ramkalawan made these remarks in an interview with CNN’s Lynda Kinkade on the sidelines of the Dubai Expo before he heads to the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland this weekend.

President Ramkalawan says climate change is having devastating impacts on Seychelles’ coral islands and they will eventually disappear completely because they are only one to three metres above sea level.

“With the disappearance of these islands this will also mean that the huge bird colonies that we have will also go because they will have no place to live. So it’s real, it’s not that we are making up those stories or that we are trying to scare the world but climate change is real for us and we are being affected directly,” President Ramkalawan stated.

“It is high time the world not only commits itself because we’ve had that before, but now is the time for us to move from promises to concrete actions. At COP26 , I want world leaders of industrialised nations not only to talk but to put their money where their mouth is. I want world leaders to say we are going to help the more vulnerable countries because we are responsible. And as a small island developing state, this is what we expect. But here we are facing all the effects of climate change and yet we are the ones abiding by world resolutions. We now have 32% of our ocean that are under conservation, we have 48% of our small land mass which is under protection, we are doing our utmost, we are leading in the conservation of the species but these species will have nowhere to go if industrialised nations don’t help us. We are crying out for help. We are saying that we are partners but in order for us to achieve the saving process of the planet, we need the industrialised nations to come to our help so that there can be a real partnership. Now is the time for action and this will be my message at COP26,” President Ramkalawan said.

Asked to comment on the claim that industries have scientific evidence since 1977 about the dangers of climate change and yet for decades they have spreaded doubts and denial and what he hopes would come from the conference is more transparency and accountability.

President Ramkalawan said scientists know the exact truth and the truth has been shared and that we too have our own experts and additionally our people see the difference climate change is causing on a daily basis.

“So it is no longer the time for denial, no longer the time for excuses, no longer the time for hypocrisy but now is the time for concrete action. Let us stop pretending, let us stop making believe, let us face reality. We have one planet and this planet is calling on us is pleading with us today to save it. Our young people are pleading with us the leaders of today’s world to take a concrete stance and I stand with our youth because if we the leaders don’t take concrete action today, there will be no future. The future will just be an illusion so this is why my call is for action now. Stop the denial, stop the hypocrisy, stop looking for excuses just to enrich ourselves because even the enrichment will not last forever because we will be destroying the planet.”

Compiled by Marie-Anne Lepathy