The Maldives has called for an expedited global response to the escalating climate crisis in an appeal to the United Nations Security Council. The appeal was made during the Security Council’s open debate on ‘The Impact of Climate Change and Food Insecurity on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security’, convened at the UN Headquarters in New York this Wednesday.
The Maldivian perspective was articulated by Chargé d’affaires Dr Ali Naseer Mohamed, who stressed the security implications of climate change, a narrative that the Maldives has persistently brought to the fore. Mohamed called on the council to adopt a resolute and immediate course of action to mitigate emissions and provide reparation for the victims of climate change, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mohamed, an ambassador-at-large at the foreign ministry, reiterated the predicament of small island developing states (SIDS), which are at the frontlines of climate change impacts. These nations grapple with challenges that directly impinge on people’s livelihoods and amplify existing vulnerabilities, he said.
He also underscored that climate change has far-reaching ramifications for the international community. He pointed out that countries with nascent economies and burgeoning populations, including the least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and SIDS, bear a disproportionate brunt of the crisis while contributing minimally to its genesis, according to the foreign ministry.