This is the first time Malta is part of the EU lead negotiation team
Malta is forming part of the EU negotiating team leading the COP negotiations on the final climate agreement to be adopted by COP28. As countries from around the world are gathered in Dubai to negotiate a collective position to address climate change, the EU takes a central role as one of the key players in these negotiations. One of the topics that is currently being negotiated intensely is the programme on the global goal on adaptation. In these negotiations the European Union is being represented by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli and the Austrian Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology Leonore Gewessler. This is the first time that Malta was chosen as part of the EU negotiating team leading one of the major files during a United Nations Climate Change COP.
As the 12-day conference draws to an end this week, the 197 countries meeting in Dubai are seeking to reach agreements on effective solutions to the climate emergency.
This year Malta took a very active role during the UN Climate Change COP participating and organising several events focusing on different issues related to climate change, particularly challenges and solutions for small island states. Minister Miriam Dalli stated that Malta’s involvement in the negotiations conveys a strong message about Malta’s stand, showing that small states have a strong role in negotiating a deal that needs the consensus among all states for it to be successful. “The EU and its Member States, including Malta, are spearheading an ambitious outcome at COP, leading by example through their goal-oriented targets. Malta remains committed to maintain the momentum while highlighting the opportunities that climate action brings. We are insisting that our guiding principle is that anything agreed needs to be in line with the commitment taken not to go beyond the 1.5 °C warming goal”, Minister Dalli said.
Among the adaptation measures being discussed are initiatives related to water scarcity, ensuring supply of food and agricultural production, strengthening resilience against health impacts, protecting ecosystems, ensuring more resilient infrastructures, reducing poverty due to climate impacts and protecting cultural heritage. This would require countries to identify their biggest risks resulting from climate change. The aim is for countries to prepare themselves and adapt to minimise the consequences of the negatives effects of climate change to protect lives and ensure resilience of the different communities. The Dubai Presidency intends to conclude COP28 with an agreement on Tuesday 12th December, however there are still a number of issues which remain open until today. The COP28 was launched on 1st December with a provocative mission statement: Unite. Act. Deliver.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli tmexxi n-negozjati tal-UE dwar l-adattament għall-klima waqt COP28
Din hija l-ewwel darba li Malta qed tifforma parti mit-tim tan-negozjati tal-UE
Malta qed tifforma parti mit-tim tan-negozjaturi tal-Unjoni Ewropea li qed imexxi n-negozjati dwar il-ftehim finali dwar il-klima li se jiġi adottat mill-Konferenza COP28, il-Laqgħa tan-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda dwar it-Tibdil fil-Klima. Hekk kif ħafna pajjiżi minn madwar id-dinja qed jiltaqgħu f’Dubaj biex jinnegozjaw pożizzjoni kollettiva dwar it-tibdil fil-klima, l-Unjoni Ewropea qed tieħu rwol ċentrali bħala waħda mill-protagonisti f’dawn it-taħditiet. Wieħed mis-suġġetti li bħalissa qed jiġi diskuss ħafna huwa l-programm għall-mira globali dwar l-adattament. F’dawn in-negozjati, l-Unjoni Ewropea qed tiġi rappreżentata mill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli u l-Ministru għall-Azzjoni dwar il-Klima, l-Ambjent, l-Enerġija, l-Mobbilità, l-Innovazzjoni u t-Teknoloġija Leonore Gewessler. Din hija l-ewwel darba li Malta ntgħażlet biex tkun parti mit-tim ta’ negozjaturi tal-Unjoni Ewropea fit-tmexxija ta’ waħda mit-temi ewlenin waqt konferenza tan-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda dwar it-Tibdil fil-Klima.
Hekk kif din il-konferenza ta’ 12-il jum qed toqrob lejn tmiemha, il-197 pajjiż li qed jiltaqgħu f’Dubaj qed jaħdmu biex jilħqu ftehim dwar soluzzjonijiet effettivi għall-emerġenza fil-klima. Din is-sena Malta kellha rwol attiv ħafna waqt din il-laqgħa tan-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda dwar il-Klima u organizzat diversi attivitajiet iffukati fuq l-isfidi differenti marbuta mat-tibdil tal-klima, speċjalment dwar l-isfidi u s-soluzzjonijiet għal stati membri gżejjer żgħar. Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli spjegat li l-involviment ta’ Malta fin-negozjati qed jibgħat messaġġ ċar dwar il-pożizzjoni ta’ Malta, xhieda li anke pajjiżi żgħar jista’ jkollhom rwol b’saħħtu fl-innegozjar ta’ ftehim li jeħtieġ il-kunsens tal-istati kollha biex jirnexxi. “Il-pajjiżi membri tal-Unjoni Ewropea, inkluż Malta, qed jimbuttaw għal riżultati b’saħħithom minn dawn il-laqgħat tal-COP, filwaqt li jmexxu bl-eżempju permezz ta’ objettivi speċifiċi u effettivi. Malta tibqa’ determinata li ssostni din id-direzzjoni filwaqt li tagħti prijorità lill-opportunitajiet li l-azzjoni dwar il-klima jistgħu joħolqu. Qed ninsistu li nibqgħu nżommu mal-prinċipju li kull ftehim għandu jżomm mal-impenn li ma naqbżux il-mira tat-tisħin globali ta 1.5 °C”, qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Fost il-miżuri ta’ adattament li qed jiġu diskussi hemm inizzjattivi marbutin mal-iskarsezza tal-ilma, inizzjattivi li jiżguraw il-provvista t’ikel u l-produzzjoni agrikola, it-tisħiħ tar-reżiljenza kontra l-impatti fuq is-saħħa, il-ħarsien tal-ekosistemi, infrastruttura aktar reżiljenti, miżuri kontra l-faqar minħabba l-impatti tal-klima, kif ukoll il-ħarsien tal-wirt kulturali. Dan kollu jirrikjedi li l-pajjiżi jidentifikaw l-akbar riskji li qed jiffaċċjaw minħabba t-tibdil fil-klima. Dan iwassal biex kull pajjiż jipprepara u jadatta biex il-konsegwenzi ta’ dawn l-impatti negattivi tat-tibdil fil-klima jitnaqqsu kemm jista’ jkun. B’hekk tkun imħarsa l-ħajja u r-reżiljenza ta’ komunitajiet differenti. Il-Presidenza tal-Konferenza f’Dubaj mistennija tagħlaq COP28 bi ftehim ġdid nhar it-Tlieta 12 ta’ Diċembru, madankollu jonqos diversi punti li jeħtieġ jinkiseb qbil dwarhom. Il-konferenza bdiet fl-1 ta’ Diċembru bl-għan ewlieni li tgħaqqad, twettaq u tikseb ir-riżultati (‘Unite. Act. Deliver’).