With less than a month to go until the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) convene their 29th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Vanuatu team of climate negotiators have already begun preparations.
The Department of Climate Change, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) conducted a negotiations training and COP preparation sessions for its delegates who will be attending COP29 to ensure that they are able to engage effectively and negotiate fiercely not only for their country, but the Pacific region.
Speaking at the opening of the training, Acting Director General of the Ministry of Climate Change, Fred Jockley, did not mince his words when speaking of the importance of the task that lies ahead of those who will be attending COP29 in Baku.
“Vanuatu has been a party to the UNFCCC since 1992,” Jockley said. “For 32 years, we have participated in the multilateral climate negotiations with good faith, ambition, and hope that nations would be able to work together to address the single greatest threat to the livelihood, security, and well-being of all people on this planet.”
“Today, science confirms record rates of increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and a terrifying approach towards the 1.5 degrees global heating limit. Every year, and every degree brings the Pacific islands new levels of climate extremes and climate suffering,” he added.
Jockley recongised the importance of the UNFCCC negotiations in providing a platform that encourages global cooperation and allows countries to come together and discuss strategies to combat climate change. The negotiations can also lead to the creation of international agreements and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage ongoing scientific research and technological innovation to address climate change, promote sustainable economic development and the importance of accountability.
The negotiations training, which was supported by the Strengthening Pacific Leadership In Climate Change Engagement (SPLICE) project and the Green Climate Fund-funded Vanuatu Climate Information Services for Resilient Development Project, better known by its Bislama name of Van-KIRAP, in partnership with the Government of Vanuatu through the Ministry of Climate Change and Vanuatu’s National Advisory Board on Climate Change.
Ewan Cameron, SPLICE Project Coordinator, stated that the training in Vanuatu is part of SPREP’s mandate to promote cooperation in the region and provide assistance to Member countries to ensure a resilient Pacific environment for current and future generations.
“As the region’s technical lead agency on climate change, it is our duty to our member countries to ensure that our Pacific negotiators who will be representing the region, which is the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, are well equipped to engage in the climate negotiations,” Cameron said.
“This training builds on the momentum that started in Nadi when the Pacific delegation met to solidify the region’s shared priorities at the Preparatory Meeting for COP29. As part of the training, Vanuatu will develop its national priorities to complement those of the Pacific as a whole,” he added.
Acting Director General Jockley delivered an important message to the delegates at the beginning of the training stating:
“You are the voice of Vanuatu, and I ask you to use that voice forcefully on behalf of the most vulnerable people in Vanuatu who are suffering from the injustices of the climate crisis.”
The Vanuatu National Negotiations Training – Amplifying your Voice” negotiations training was held in Port Vila from 15 – 17 October 2024.
