Environment minister confident of carbon neutral declaration

Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam said he was confident participants at the two-day climate change summit would adopt a declaration to go carbon neutral.

“It’s positive thinking that they have about a carbon neutral goal. Based on their statements and interventions we have written a draft declaration and circulated it to them,” he told Minivan News at the end of the first day of negotiations.

Aslam said the participants would now go and make necessary changes before returning to the final day tomorrow to hopefully sign the declaration.

The environment minister said the worst-case scenario would be if there was no consensus, but added he was certain some countries would be willing to sign.

“We will just be adding to the club…we are always seeking new members to the club,” he said.

Aslam said the declaration would allow signatories to go to the landmark UN climate change conference in Copenhagen this December and ask developed countries for assistance for a clear plan.

“We can say we need your assistance. And we will do it to the extent we can even without your help,” he said.

In March, President Mohamed Nasheed announced plans to make the Maldives the first carbon neutral country in the world by switching to renewable energy and offsetting carbon emissions.

At the inauguration ceremony today, the president called on vulnerable countries to show “moral leadership” and form a carbon neutral bloc ahead of Copenhagen.

The bold move to form a group of vulnerable countries committed to going carbon neutral comes three days after the final found of climate change negotiations in Barcelona reached an impasse.

Rich and poor countries remained divided over how to apportion the burden of emissions cuts and how much financial assistance was necessary to fund the deal.

“Continued negotiations year after year get us nowhere so what’s really innovative here is some of the poorest countries with the least resources beginning to offer the most in getting global carbon cuts,” Mark Lynas, the British environmentalist who drew up the Maldives’ carbon neutral plan, told Minivan News.

Lynas, who was yesterday appointed advisor on climate change, said he thought African countries such as Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania had showed they were the most like-minded today.

“Even if it’s only aspirational it will make a difference. They obviously can’t make their entire national policy on the hoof and will still have to do the costing,” said Lynas.

“But all these developing countries are constantly asking for money and the money never materialises…But as the president said money follows where inspiration begins.”

Ten participants from the countries most vulnerable to climate change attended the Climate Vulnerable Forum hosted at Bandos Island Resort. These include Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Kiribati, Barbados, Bhutan, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)