COP29 live: ‘Time is not on our side’, says host after strikes at UN climate talks

Mark Poynting
Climate and environmental researcher

As we have heard, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), which represents small, low-lying island states, has withdrawn from the talks.

They have been one of the most vocal groups calling for faster climate action, because these countries are truly on the front lines of global warming.

Rising seas pose an existential threat to countries like the Maldives, where about 80% of the land is less than 1 meter above sea level.

A study published in 2018 found that many low-lying atoll islands could become uninhabitable by mid-century due to regular coastal flooding.

Small islands, including those in the Caribbean, are also disproportionately affected by other climate hazards, such as tropical storms.

AOSIS members have made little contribution to climate change and generally lack the resources to adapt to rising temperatures.

That explains why they are so angry about the deal that was put on the table last night, which they say “shows so much contempt for our vulnerable people”.