In her speech on 2 May 2023 at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock highlighted the pressing need for the international community to address the catastrophic impact of rising sea levels on island states. In the Pacific, the Atoll countries (i.e. Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands) are projected to be completely uninhabitable within the next few decades, before complete inundation by the end of this century.
In the face of this emergency, the Heads of States of the Pacific Atoll countries launched the Rising Nations Initiative in the margins of the UN General Assembly in September 2022 to mobilize global efforts to protect their statehood, preserve their sovereignty, and safeguard the rights and heritage of the affected populations.
Against this backdrop, the Robert Bosch Stiftung in cooperation with the UN Global Centre for Climate Mobility is honored to exclusively host the visit of a high-level delegation from Tuvalu to Germany. On the occasion of this event, you are invited to take part in this timely discussion with the members of the Tuvaluan Delegation, decision makers, experts, civil society and other stakeholders about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for addressing the existential threats of rising sea levels faced by Small Island Developing States, particularly the case of Pacific Atoll Island States.
The event will also explore the role of Germany in the ongoing efforts to address these unique challenges, particularly around long-term climate adaptation as well as the protection of cultural heritage and sovereignty of states at the frontline of the climate crisis.
Speakers:
- Anna Lührmann, State Minister, Federal Foreign Office (keynote speaker)
- Ambassador Samuelu Laloniu, Special Envoy, Government of Tuvalu
- Grace Malie, Rising Nations Youth Delegate
- Kamal Amakrane, Managing Director, UN Global Centre for Climate Mobility; and Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow, Robert Bosch Academy
