In light of recent media reports following the Brussels Ministerial meeting on climate change, the Chairs of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the LDCs — Ambassador Marlene Moses and Pa Ousman Jarju, respectively — released the following statement on 12 May on behalf of their members:

“As representatives of many of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, we stand willing to work with any partner that shares our desire to lower greenhouse gas emissions in line with the latest scientific recommendations. What we are not willing to do is sacrifice the long-term environmental integrity of policy in favor of short-term political expediency.”

“We are convinced that the environmental integrity of the Kyoto Protocol – the only international agreement with legally-binding commitments to reduce emissions – depends on having a five-year commitment period to avoid locking-in inadequate level of ambition. And the Commitments must be fully legally binding — to do this we need a clear agreement from the EU and others that they will support provisional application of the Second commitment period amendments to avoid a legal gap at the end of this year.”

“We are optimistic that countries will honor the spirit of cooperation that led to the agreement in Durban and respect the principle of the convention that demands all developed countries take the lead in this most important endeavor.”