Ministerial Roundtable

Monday 13 October – 10:00-11:45; Mutirao Plenary Room (5th Floor)

[COP30 President-Designate, André Corrêa do Lago]
[COP29 President, Mukhtar Babayev]
[UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell]
[Acting President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Geraldo Alckmin]

Distinguished Ministers, Excellencies, Friends,

Palau has the honour to engage at this Pre-COP on behalf of the Alliance of
Small Island States.

We thank the incoming Brazilian Presidency for convening these important
consultations, for your open and transparent engagement, and for the warm
hospitality here in beautiful Brasília. We look forward to continuing to work
closely together, both in these discussions and at COP30 in Belém.

As we mark ten years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, AOSIS
believes this is a moment not only for reflection but for reaffirmation. The Paris
Agreement remains a remarkable achievement and a testament to what
multilateralism can deliver. Its architecture is in place, through NDCs, NAPs,
the Enhanced Transparency Framework, the Global Stocktake, and our climate
funds. These elements provide a strong framework for implementation, but
they will only fulfil their promise if matched with real support. The decisive
factor remains the means of implementation.

Without adequate finance,
technology, and capacity-building delivered at scale, the Paris Agreement
cannot succeed, and we will have failed our youth and future generations.
Looking ahead to COP30, the question before us is what outcomes can lead to
tangible improvements in people’s lives.

For AOSIS, this means urgent action
to triple outflows from existing climate funds to developing countries and to
significantly scale up public finance for adaptation. Small island states and
vulnerable communities already face severe impacts and need predictable
and accessible resources. Delivering on this would send a powerful signal that
climate finance is reaching those who need it most and that multilateralism is
delivering results.

When we met in New York a few weeks ago on the margins of UNGA, there was
a shared recognition of the durability of the Paris Agreement. Parties are
aligned on the need to operationalize its architecture, to strengthen loss and
damage mechanisms, and to advance adaptation planning, reporting, and
action.

We must act with urgency to drive NDC ambition and close the gap towards
limiting warming to 1.5 degrees. Every year of delay reduces our chances of
achieving this legally binding limit. COP30 is the moment to course correct and
to show that implementation matters as much as planning. Accelerated action
across all pillars of the Paris Agreement is essential to keep 1.5 alive.

While we welcome the NDC 3.0 submissions now coming forward, current
ambition remains insufficient to meet the 1.5°C target, which the ICJ’s recent
advisory opinion affirmed as the legal benchmark and scientifically based
consensus target under the Paris Agreement. COP30 must therefore focus on
accelerating implementation across mitigation, adaptation, finance, and loss
and damage.

The most ambitious and balanced outcomes for COP30 will be those that
demonstrate the Paris Agreement works in practice through scaled-up finance,
operational adaptation and loss and damage support, and clear pathways for
NDC implementation. By delivering on these outcomes, we can restore
confidence in multilateralism and show that the system can deliver for people
and for the planet.

AOSIS stands ready to work with all partners to ensure COP30 rises to this
moment and produces results that matter.

I thank you.