During the first term of the 2024/2025 Academic Year, Cari-Bois partnered with the Scotiabank Foundation to empower ten (10) students with climate journalism skills as part of the second edition of Cari-Bois’ Youth Journalism Project. For their third assignment, students wrote a story on the importance of the United Nations Climate Conference to Small Island Developing States. This story was written by T’Kaiyaa Julien of Guayaguayare Secondary School.
The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) was an important moment for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
These island nations are on the front lines of climate change, facing rising sea levels, more extreme weather events, and ocean acidification.
At COP29, SIDS played a critical role in advocating for ambitious climate action and securing new commitments to support their climate resilience.
SIDS came to COP29 with a strong, unified voice as they called for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming well below 1.5 degrees Celsius, the level of warming scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Leaders from these countries “argued” that their very existence is threatened by climate change.
Rising sea levels threaten to inundate low-lying island nations, displacing communities and destroying vital infrastructure.
Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and cyclones, are becoming more frequent and intense, causing widespread damage and loss of life.
Ocean acidification is harming marine ecosystems, which are essential for food security and livelihoods in SIDS.
The leaders of these countries emphasized that they are not just victims of climate change; they are also leaders in climate action.
Many SIDS have set ambitious renewable energy targets and are implementing innovative adaptation measures to protect their communities. But they stressed that they cannot do it alone.
These countries need financial support from “developed” countries to help them build resilience to climate change and invest in clean energy.
Tripling finance for climate action in developing countries
One of the key outcomes of COP29 was a new commitment to triple finance for climate action in developing countries.
This includes both adaptation finance, which helps countries cope with the impacts of climate change, and mitigation finance, which helps countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
This new finance goal is a significant victory for SIDS.
It will provide them with much-needed resources to invest in climate resilience measures, such as sea walls, early warning systems, and climate-smart agriculture.
It will also help them transition to clean energy sources, such as solar and wind power.
Progress on other key issues
COP29 also made progress on a number of other issues that are important to SIDS.
The conference agreed on new rules for carbon markets, which could provide SIDS with a new source of revenue to finance climate action.
There was also progress on transparent climate reporting, which will help to ensure that all countries are held accountable for their climate commitments.
The conference also emphasized the importance of including Indigenous Peoples and local communities in climate action.
SIDS have a high concentration of indigenous communities, who have a deep understanding of their environment and traditional practices that can be adapted to address climate change.
The role of SIDS in shaping the future of climate action
The outcomes of COP29 were beneficial to SIDS as they were able to raise their voices on the global stage and secure new commitments to support their climate action efforts.
The conference also recognized the importance of including SIDS in the decision-making process on climate change.
Looking ahead, SIDS will continue to play a critical role in shaping the future of climate action.
They will need to continue to advocate for ambitious climate action and hold developed countries accountable for their commitments.
They will also need to work together to share best practices and build resilience to climate change.
A very special thank you to the Scotiabank Foundation for supporting the development of young people through initiatives like the Cari-Bois Youth Journalism Project.
