The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) has delivered a clear and urgent message to the international community: statehood and sovereignty must not be eroded by climate change, no matter the rising tides.
In a bold declaration made on 23 September 2024, in New York, AOSIS leaders affirmed that the impacts of sea level rise will not alter the rights of their nations under international law.
“Statehood is not a question of geography; it is a matter of law, identity, and sovereignty,” the AOSIS leaders declared.
“Our maritime zones and the rights we hold over them must continue, regardless of physical changes to our land caused by rising seas”.
For decades, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have been on the frontlines of the climate crisis. The Malé Declaration on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise, adopted in 1989, first sounded the alarm. But today, the threat has escalated beyond warnings—it’s now a reality for many island nations facing the possibility of their territories disappearing under water.
AOSIS leaders were unequivocal that climate-induced changes will not—and cannot—be allowed to challenge their status as independent states.
The declaration reaffirms the group’s 2021 stance that maritime boundaries, once established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), are permanent, even if rising seas drastically alter a nation’s physical landmass.
The declaration draws a firm line under the issue of sovereignty, emphasising that international law does not foresee the loss of statehood due to environmental changes. The leaders pointed out that the continuity of their nations, even in the face of sea level rise, is crucial not only to their people’s survival but also for maintaining global peace and security.
AOSIS leaders are also demanding technical, financial, and moral support from the international community to help SIDS adapt to the inevitable impacts of sea level rise. “We cannot be left to fight this battle alone,” the declaration reads. “International cooperation is not a choice—it’s a duty.”
The leaders called on wealthier nations, which contribute disproportionately to global carbon emissions, to assist in safeguarding the cultures, identities, and heritage of the island states that are most vulnerable to climate change.
The declaration highlights the importance of preserving not just land, but also the essential needs, dignity, and identity of the people of SIDS. Leaders warned that failing to protect these fundamental rights would be a grave injustice.
AOSIS leaders made it clear that their statehood can only be relinquished by the free will of their populations, through a process of self-determination.
As the world watches the slow-motion crisis unfold, AOSIS has raised the stakes, not just for the future of island nations, but for the integrity of international law itself.
“The global community must cooperate with us on this journey,” the declaration concludes. “Climate change will not be the cause of our demise, and we will not be erased.”
