BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has called upon the international community to see to it that it becomes easy to access funds to fight climate change, especially for developing countries like Eswatini.
Dlamini said this today (Wednesday, November 13, 2024) when making his statement in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. This was during the COP 29 Summit, which started on Monday (November 11, 2024) and is expected to end on November 22, 2024.
During his address, the premier said effective climate finance remained essential, yet accessing these funds was overly complex for developing nations like Eswatini. According to Dlamini, developing nations faced frequent climate-induced disasters, compounded by financial barriers that reverse development gains.
He said disaster relief and climate finance should be streamlined and expanded, with a focus on adaptation, mitigation, and just transitions. He pleaded with the meeting not to lose sight of the ultimate goal. “Developed nations must continue to lead and provide support to ensure a sustainable future. Together, we must commit to a world where future generations will look back on this moment as the turning point toward a resilient and sustainable planet,” he said.
According to Dlamini, a year ago in Dubai, multiple leaders stood during the COP 28 Summit, urging immediate action to tackle climate change. Since then, countries, Eswatini included, have endured severe climate-induced events. “In our case, these have ranged from destructive hailstorms to late-season droughts that have upended livelihoods, especially in agriculture, a key sector for the people of Eswatini,” he said.
He said it was abundantly clear that this was a critical juncture. The World Meteorological Organisation, according to the premier, warned of an 80 percent chance that global temperatures would exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels within the next five years—a catastrophic milestone. Meanwhile, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) adaptation gap report highlighted an adaptation cost gap projected to reach up to $340 billion (over E6.1 trillion) by 2030.
After 30 years, the prime minister said the world would ask itself if it had failed. He went on to suggest that the international community should seize what could be its last opportunity. He quoted Alexander the Great, who said, “Upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.” The prime minister called for the world to strengthen both its commitments and its collaborative efforts to tackle this global crisis.
He said the recent UN Summit of the future called for unity to safeguard the planet. He said cooperation should genuinely address mitigation without placing undue burden on poorer nations or sacrificing nature. “Equitable solutions for all people, profits, and our planet are imperative. Meaningful action also demands that no country be left behind. In this regard, we urge the inclusion of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in our collective climate response to leverage their contributions,” he said.
