Marc Poynting
Climate and environment researcher

As we have heard, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), which represents low-lying small island states, left the talks.

They have been one of the most vocal groups in calling for faster climate action, because these countries are truly on the front lines of global warming.

Rising seas pose an existential threat to countries like the Maldives, where around 80% of the land lies less than a meter above sea level.

A study published in 2018 showed that many low-lying atolls could become uninhabitable by the middle of this century due to regular coastal flooding.

Small islands, including those in the Caribbean, are also disproportionately affected by other climate hazards, such as tropical storms.

AOSIS members have made minimal contributions to climate change and generally lack the resources to adapt to rising temperatures.

This explains why they are so angry about the deal put on the table last night, that they are saying “shows such contempt for our vulnerable“.