Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

UNDP pledges to up support to SIDS

UNDP pledges to up support to SIDS

In a formal briefing at the United Nations Climate Action Summit last Monday in New York City, UN Development Programme Administrator Achim Steiner addressed concerns expressed by island nations earlier in the day about the failure of international aid to adequately address the conse.

“It has a degree of absurdity to it when you see the images of small island states being destroyed almost as if they have been through a carpet-bombing to then suddenly talk to them about ‘Oh, you’re a middle-income country’ and thus not eligible for aid,” he said.

The UNDP, Mr. Steiner explained, is in the final stages of increasing its support for SIDS.

“Some of the statements you’ve seen today I very much take to heart from countries that largely don’t even appear on world maps very often. Therefore people just don’t know they exist when they go to school or they watch the television. They are places where people live, where history has grown, and where literally survival is now sometimes the next step that governments have to worry about,” said Mr. Steiner.

He added that the UN has heard the SIDS’ concerns.

“And they have a place on the stage also, as the secretary made sure of today,” he said. “And for us, for what we can do in practical, technical and financial terms, we wanted to be here this afternoon to reinforce the message that it is really an emergency.”



Renewable energy
Francesco La Camera, director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency, acknowledged that while the efforts of island nations to transition to solar and wind energy have been admirable, such work won’t free them from the impacts of climate change.

That battle, he said, would take place outside of the islands as hundreds of millions of people across the world still living without electricity demand higher standards of living, meaning that they will consume more energy.

Wilfred Elrington, Belize’s minister for foreign affairs, talked about the efforts of the Alliance of Small Island States to convince larger countries to adhere to the commitments made in the Paris Agreement by leading by example. The group is also supporting the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment, a private-sector initiative made up of 30 organisations.


Personal experience
In highlighting the effects of climate change seen on the ground, Mr. Elrington talked about his own experience at the age of 12 when Hurricane Hattie devastated Belize in 1961.

It was the first time in recorded history, he said, that Belize has experienced a Category 5 hurricane.
“Unless you really have experienced this kind of devastation, it’s very hard to appreciate how difficult and how absolutely destructive it is,” he said.

He recalled that he was living in a house on stilts on the coast and his family had no longer than five minutes to vacate their home before the entire structure was blown away.

“When it was finished, both the city of Belize and the southern district was completely devastated,” he said.



Environment
He said when most people think of natural disasters, their first thought is the damage done to human beings.
But the damage done to the natural environment, he said, can be equally tragic for people who see their surroundings demolished.

“From one moment to be in a safe, secure structure and building and the next to be completely out in the environment with nothing — you absolutely own nothing: no clothes, no medicine, no food. You’re just completely under the mercy of God,” he said. “And when you find yourself with that situation, it’s absolutely horrible and devastating. And now that is becoming the new normal.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×