-- A Maldivian official on Thursday warned the international
community against the catastrophic effects of climate change, noting that
hard-won development gains could be lost easily in climate-related disasters.
"All these
efforts (of economic development) will amount to little when we are faced with
the catastrophic effects of climate change and environmental degradation,"
Maldivian Deputy Minister of National Planning and Infrastructure Fathimath Niuma
told a ministerial meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on sustainable
development goals (SDGs), which aim to tackle issues including conflict,
hunger, gender equality and climate change by 2030.
"In small
island developing states (SIDS) like the Maldives, years of hard-earned
economic growth could be washed away with one tidal wave," she said.
"A single
natural disaster could reduce entire islands to rubble and force our economy
onto its knees," said the deputy minister.
Niuma called on
the international community to pay attention to the challenges and threats
facing SIDS, noting that "it is crucial that the international community
understands the particular challenges and vulnerabilities of SIDS."
"No matter
how well our economies may progress, SIDS will always remain vulnerable to the
catastrophic impacts of climate change and natural disasters," she said.
Therefore,
"the Maldives calls on the international community to accelerate action on
commitments already made, in line with the Paris Agreement, to ensure that
global temperatures [rise] remain[s] lower than 1.5 degrees [Celsius],"
she said.
Climate change
has been a sizzling topic at the ongoing meeting.
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the opening ceremony of the ministerial
meeting that "greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are at the
highest levels in 3-5 million years -- and that occurred at a time when the
earth's temperature was as much as 3 degrees warmer and sea levels as much as
10-20 meters higher."
The meeting of
the high-level political forum on SDGs kicked off July 9 to evaluate global
efforts to achieve the SDGs that focus on quality education, decent work,
equality, climate change, justice and partnerships. The meeting, including a
three-day ministerial meeting running from July 16 to 18, is scheduled to
conclude Thursday afternoon.