Climate change: when diplomacy meets science

Twenty years ago, Malta left its mark at the UN's General Assembly when it brought climate change to the forefront of the global agenda, leading to its declaration as a common concern of mankind, the adoption of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

Throughout these years, concerns over the carbon footprint, which is gradually, but steadily, depleting the ozone layer and bringing about frightful consequences, is on most governments' agenda.

Against a backdrop of increased concerns over the extent of the damage, thorny debates over who is responsible, uneasiness over what future generations will have to face, and disagreements between scientists and diplomats, over 60 participants from around the world convened in Malta recently to discuss climate change diplomacy.

The two-day conference, organised by DiploFoundation and the Foreign Affairs Ministry, was aimed at drawing together the various diplomatic, traditional and innovative approaches which are being applied by the stakeholders to tackle the issue.

"One aspect we all share is that we are all vulnerable to climate change; nobody is immune," Ambassador Michael Zammit Cutajar's said in his keynote speech, urging everyone "to unite around a common unified message of adaptation, which should take place here, now, and must come first."

Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said that Malta is committing €25,000 each year for three years to the DiploFoundation to train diplomats from small island states on climate change issues.

He explained that while one should not minimise the multifaceted challenges faced in tackling climate change, including adaptation, mitigation, technology and finance, one of the biggest hurdles to surmount is the willingness and readiness of all multi-stakeholders to work in a partnership to provide a co-ordinated leadership.

Highlighting Malta's contributions that led to the Law of the Sea, a staple in international law, Former Foreign Minister Alex Sceberras Trigona said the environment requires specialisation, which small states may find daunting, especially with their limited human resources.

Martin Scicluna from the National Commission for Sustainable Development, explained how the role of an NGO is to safeguard the rich heritage and natural environment of their countries; in the case of climate change, to safeguard the future of the planet.

Attending the conference were a number of international and local speakers who tackled specific aspects.

Aubrey Meyer, from the Global Commons Institute, spoke about the importance of reducing fossil fuels and finding energy from other sources, amid warnings that the next 18 months ahead of us will be the most important 18 months of human history.

This is because when comparing the flow of emissions to the flow of an open tap of water, turning the tap off will reduce emissions but will not stop them completely.