We, the Ministers and other heads of delegation of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
present at the tenth session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change in Buenos Aires,
Noting with alarm the devastating effect that hurricanes in the Caribbean and cyclones in the Pacific
wreaked on the lives, economies and livelihoods of many small island States this year;
Further noting the indisputable close link between many natural disasters and the effects of climate
change;
Emphasizing the vulnerability of small island developing states to the impacts of climate change-related
severe weather events, sea level rise other climate change related effects such as water shortages and coral
bleaching;
Recalling that the United Nations General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session requested all United
Nations bodies and specialized agencies and other relevant intergovernmental agencies and organizations
to participate actively in the 10-year review of the progress in the implementation of the Barbados
Programme of Action for Small Island Developing States;
Recalling that the United Nations General Assembly, at its fifty-eight session, decided to convene the
World Conference on Disaster Reduction in 2005 and noting that the General Assembly invited Member
States, all United Nations bodies and specialized agencies and other relevant intergovernmental agencies
and organizations to participate actively in the conference;
Recalling that the eleventh session of the Commission for Sustainable Development adopted a multi-year
programme of work in which the thematic cluster of energy for sustainable development, industrial
development, air pollution/atmosphere, and climate change will be considered in the 2006-2007 cycle,
including a review session in the first year of the cycle and a policy session in the second year;
Underscoring the difficulty that small island developing States have in accessing insurance to protect
against the damage created by climate change-related severe weather events, sea level rise and other
climate change related effects;
Recognising the burden that small island developing states are facing with the high energy costs due to
the cost of importing fuel onto islands and our small economies of scale in purchasing fuel;
Noting that small island states have significant needs with respect to adapting to the impacts of climate
change yet we face continual reluctance by the international community to fund adaptation projects that
will deliver actions on the ground;
Recognizing the importance of early warning systems as an essential element of disaster reduction;
Emphasizing the importance of taking urgent action by all countries to reduce their greenhouse gases
emissions to the atmosphere.
Noting with alarm that the largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world has not ratified the
Kyoto Protocol and appears to be making little effort to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions;
Hereby:
Call on all countries attending the International Meeting on the Review of the Barbados Programme of
Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States to give due consideration to
the vulnerabilities of small island developing states with respect to climate change-related severe weather
events, sea level rise and other climate change related effects; and to support new initiatives to help small
island developing states overcome these difficulties,
Encourage all Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to attend the World
Conference on Disaster Reduction and to find effective linkages between the work of the climate
Convention and ongoing efforts in disaster reduction,
Call on the international community to provide the necessary financial, scientific, technical, human and
other resources to help small island developing States to protect themselves against climate change related disasters. Strongly encourage the international donor community and regional organisations to establish early
warning systems in all small island developing States;
Call on all countries and civil society to initiate a dialogue, as a matter or urgency, to explore and develop
means of dramatically decreasing greenhouse gas emissions at the global level, so as to avoid any further
dangerous interference with the climate system;
Stress the need for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN Commission on
Sustainable Development and other relevant international organisations to establish and appropriately
fund a work programme on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency for Small Island Developing
States;
Call on the Global Environmental Facility, other financial institutions and the international donor
community to expedite procedures to allow small island developing States to receive support for
adaptation projects;
Call on all countries that have not done so to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and to take meaningful steps to
reduce their greenhouse gas emissions;
Strongly urge OPEC countries and other large greenhouse gas emitting countries, particularly the United
States, to desist from their ongoing efforts to undermine action to address climate change and call on
them to recognize that their efforts to undermine progress is seriously affecting the right of people within
small island developing States to a future.