Environment Minister addresses Ministerial Meeting of the Coalition on Addressing Sea-Level Rise and its Existential Threats at COP28
“Our stand is firm and unequivocal – no state should lose any of its existing rights as a result of sea level rise.”
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli explained Malta’s relentless commitment to voice the concerns of small island and coastal states impacted by sea level rise threats during the Ministerial Meeting of the Coalition on Addressing Sea-level Rise and its Existential Threats (C-SET), on the opening day of COP28, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai.
Minister Dalli called upon the international community to recognise the severity of this reality and pledged Malta’s persevering commitment and support to this cause.
“For small island states, like my very own state, the risk of sea level rise is real. The IPPC’s special report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate speaks loud and clear about the alarming prospect of accelerating rise in sea levels over recent years. It even indicates a possible sea level rise of two metres over this century. Being the 10th smallest state in the world and an archipelago means that we are particularly sensitive to this reality,” the Minister said.
“Sea level rise can lead to partial or complete submersion of territories, particularly for small island nations. The displacement of people will inevitably happen. For such islands, it will be even more difficult to maintain a permanent population and a defined territory. The loss of land can impact a state’s ability to exercise sovereignty over its territory, including its maritime jurisdictional zones.”
The Minister also reminded that Malta has been urging the international community to tackle the impacts of sea level rise on small island states as far back as 1988, when it presented its initiative on climate change at the 43rd session of the UN General Assembly. Thirty-five years later, it continues to press on this important global threat. This year, as an elected member on the UN Security Council, it highlighted the climate-oceans-security nexus with a signature event on the impacts of sea level rise on international peace and security.
After launching the Island for Islands Initiative at COP26 to support capacity building in small island developing states, Malta will continue to defend the existing rights of these countries and other vulnerable coastal states, which will continue to be threatened if sea level rise happens.
L-ebda Stat m’għandu jitlef id-drittijiet tiegħu b’riżultat taż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar – Ministru Miriam Dalli
Il-Ministru tal-Ambjent tindirizza Laqgħa Ministerjali tal-Koalizzjoni dwar il-bżonn li tiġi indirizzataiż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar u t-theddid eżistenzjali tagħha fil-COP28
“Il-pożizzjoni tagħna hija soda u inekwivokabbli – l-ebda stat m’għandu jitlef xi wieħed mid-drittijiet eżistenti tiegħu bħala riżultat taż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar.”
Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli spjegat l-impenn bla waqfien ta’ Malta biex tesprimi t-tħassib tal-gżejjer żgħar u stati kostali milquta mit-theddid taż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar waqt il-Laqgħa Ministerjali ta’ Koalizzjoni dwar iż-Żieda fil-Livell tal-Baħar u t-Theddid Eżistenzjali tagħha (C-SET). Din il-laqgħa seħħet fil-jum tal-ftuħ tal-COP28, il-Konferenza tan-Nazzjonijiet Uniti dwar it-Tibdil fil-Klima f’Dubai.
Il-Ministru Dalli appellat lill-komunità internazzjonali biex tagħraf l-urġenza ta’ din ir-realtà u wegħdet l-impenn u l-appoġġ ta’ Malta għal din il-kawża.
“Għal stati gżejjer żgħar, bħall-istat tiegħi stess, ir-riskju taż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar huwa reali. Ir-rapport Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing ClimateOċean tal-IPPC jitkellem b’mod ċar dwar kif il-livell tal-baħar qed jaraw li jiżdied b’mod allarmanti f’dawn l-aħħar snin. Dan jindika li possibilment il-livell tal-baħar se jiżdied b’żewġ metri matul dan is-seklu. Li tkun l-10 l-iżgħar stat fid-dinja u li tkun arċipelagu jfisser li aħna partikolarment sensittivi għal din ir-realtà,” qalet il-Ministru.
“Żieda fil-livell tal-baħar tista’ twassal għal immersjoni parzjali jew kompluta tat-territorji, partikolarment għal nazzjonijiet gżejjer żgħar. Dan ifisser li jirrilokaw in-nies ikun inevitabbli li jseħħ. Għal gżejjer bħal dawn, se tkun saħansitra aktar diffiċli li tinżamm popolazzjoni permanenti u territorju definit. It-telf ta’ art jista’ jkollu impatt fuq il-kapaċità ta’ stat li jeżerċita s-sovranità fuq it-territorju tiegħu, inklużi ż-żoni ġurisdizzjoni marittimi tiegħu.”
Il-Ministru fakkret ukoll li Malta ilha tħeġġeġ lill-komunità internazzjonali biex tindirizza l-impatt taż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar fuq Stati gżejjer żgħar sa mill-1988, meta ppreżentat l-inizjattiva tagħha dwar it-tibdil fil-klima fit-43 sessjoni tal-Assemblea Ġenerali tan-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda. Ħamsa u tletin sena wara, tkompli tenfasizza l-messaġġ fuq din it-theddida globali importanti. Din is-sena, bħala membru elett fil-Kunsill tas-Sigurtà tan-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda, Malta enfasizzat r-rabta bejn il-klima, l-oċeani u s-sigurtà b’avveniment ta’ firma dwar l-impatti taż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar fuq il-paċi u s-sigurtà internazzjonali.
Wara li t-tnedija tal-Inizjattiva Island for Islands fil-COP26 biex tappoġġja l-bini tal-kapaċità fi stati gżejjer żgħar li qed jiżviluppaw, Malta se tkompli tiddefendi d-drittijiet eżistenti ta’ dawn il-pajjiżi u stati kostali vulnerabbli oħra, li se jkomplu jkunu mhedda jekk iseħħ żieda fil-livell tal-baħar.