The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is a
coalition of small island and low-lying coastal countries that share
similar development challenges and concerns about the environment,
especially their vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate
change. The group functions primarily as an a lobby and negotiating voice
for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) within the United Nations (UN)
system.
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| A meeting of 20 UN ambassadors from small island states at Port of Spain, Trinidad |
AOSIS has a membership of 42 States and observers, drawn from all
oceans and regions of the world: Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean,
Mediterranean, Pacific and South China Sea. Thirty-seven are members of
the UN, close to 28% of developing countries, and 20% of the UN’s total membership. Together, SIDS communities
constitute some 5% of the global population.
The AOSIS group functions on the basis
of consultation and consensus, and work together primarily through their New York
diplomatic Missions to the United Nations. The Alliance does not have a
formal charter, nor do they have a regular budget and a secretariat. The current chairman of the AOSIS group is the
Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia.
“One point five to stay alive" - AOSIS' slogan
These island states, aka “the conscience of the UN climate change convention” are calling
upon the international community to limit greenhouse gases to well below
350 parts per million, to limit temperature rises to below 1.5 degrees
Celsius and to enter into a legally binding agreement in order to
achieve these targets. The impacts of climate change, they assert, are
already being felt and therefore even a two degree target is too high.
For example, the future of one of the low-lying
Pacific islands called Kiribati is currently being threatened by rising seas, and the situation is so dire that the
government is contemplating relocating the entire population to man-made
islands resembling giant oil rigs, at a cost of US$2 billion. Beachside villages in Kiribati have already had to
move to escape the encroaching waves. Water supplies have been
contaminated by salt water, and crops destroyed. Erosion, caused partly
by storms and flooding, is increasingly serious.
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| Climate change impacts are already being felt in some islands like the Pacific island of Kiribati |
The world therefore desperately needs to act to reduce carbon emissions, and the engagement of multilateral agencies with the smallest and most
vulnerable nations sends a powerful message regarding commitment to the
global climate challenge. In order to enhance communication among the islands, as well to inform and involve stakeholders, the AOSIS website has been recently revitalised. Visit the AOSIS website to follow all the latest happenings in negotiations.
