Today, at the second informal consultation on the UN Declaration on Sea-Level Rise, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Tapugao Falefou delivered a joint statement on behalf of the Coalition on addressing Sea-Level Rise and its Existential Threats (C-SET), followed by Tuvalu’s national statement.

He underscored the need for the declaration to be grounded in science, to scale up both adaptation and mitigation efforts, to localize climate finance so it reaches frontline communities, and to protect livelihoods, culture, and human rights. He also reaffirmed the importance of legal certainty, safeguarding statehood, maritime rights, and the duty of States to cooperate in addressing climate change and its impacts.

In his national capacity, Ambassador Falefou highlighted the fundamental inequity facing small island developing States, emphasized greenhouse gas emissions as the root cause of sea-level rise, and reiterated the binding obligation of States to cooperate in addressing the global climate crisis.
These priorities were strongly echoed in interventions by Palau on behalf of AOSIS, Solomon Islands on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum, and Fiji on behalf of PSIDS.

While important differences remain, there is a clear and encouraging sense of shared priorities and common ground among Member States. There is strong momentum to use this process to deliver meaningful and collective progress on addressing sea-level rise.

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