National Statement delivered by H.E. Andreas von Uexküll, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN, at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), 29 May 2024, Antigua and Barbuda
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Excellencies, colleagues,
My keywords here today are urgency, opportunity, and collaboration.
Urgency based on science and the need to drastically reduce emissions and tackle the devastating impacts of climate change on people’s livelihoods and security today. The most vulnerable – oftentimes with the smallest carbon footprints – are hardest hit, not least Small Island Developing States.
Opportunity based on the new jobs and growth that the transition to climate neutrality brings.
Collaboration as global challenges require global solutions. We need to accelerate the implementation of past joint commitments and raise ambitions to ensure the necessary green transition, allow for enhanced adaptation efforts and build resilience.
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The science is clear. We all need to set policies, which ensure that we collectively limit the global temperature rise by cutting emissions and phasing out fossil fuels. Sweden aims to be climate neutral by 2045 at the latest, with negative emissions beyond that. I encourage other countries to beat us in the race to climate neutrality.
We might have different timelines and pathways to net-zero. But our common goals are clearly defined in the Paris Agreement. Limit temperature increases to 1.5 degrees, build more resilient societies – and transform financial flows in support of those goals. In this regard I want to express my appreciation for the critical role SIDS play in the global discussions on climate. By speaking with one joint and loud voice you push the world to take decisions that are brave and ambitious. To this end, Sweden is your partner.
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Sweden stands with the most vulnerable to enhance adaptive capacities, build resilience globally and respond to losses and damages associated with climate change.
Sweden is a leading donor of climate finance, in both absolute terms and relative to our size. And the government has committed to increase its climate-related ODA even further and to enhance its effect, strengthening synergies with innovation and trade. However, to reach the scale of finance needed for the green transition we know that our development cooperation must be truly catalytic and mobilise more private capital. Official development assistance will never be enough.
As a leading donor Sweden is working within the major climate funds to simplify procedures and enhance access to climate finance. Those most in need should be first in line!
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Excellencies, colleagues, friends,
When tackling climate change all actors – government, development partners and the private sector – have their role to play. We must jointly develop enabling environments with reduced risks and increased incentives for the private sector to invest in a green and just transition and provide decent work opportunities.
We must also work together to transform all financial flows and enhance the efficiency of the international financial system to achieve the green transition and to better take into account climate-related risks and opportunities. In this regard, Sweden welcomes new tools such as the World Bank’s Climate Resilience Debt Clause and the progress made on the UN Multi Vulnerability Index.
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Let me end by also stressing the importance of the Ocean, something SIDS know best of all. You depend on the Ocean and the Blue economy for your survival. To protect the Ocean and marine ecosystems and advance sustainably produced blue food is vital in the fight against climate change, both in terms of mitigating emissions and in building resilience against a changing climate. Sweden is proud to have pushed for the importance of the Ocean in the climate change negotiation process and to be a founding member of the “Friends of Ocean and Climate”-group. We are also proud to have hosted – together with Fiji – the first UN Ocean Conference.
To Antigua and Barbuda– thank you for hosting us for this important conference.
To all participants –, let this conference be one of collaboration to deliver for SIDS.
To all civil society actors and businesses – we look forward to hearing your voices, inspiring us to do more, faster, together.
Let us embrace the urgency and opportunities of climate action.
Thank you.