Interview with Seychelles Ambassador to the UN Ronny Jumeau |07 November 2017

‘We cannot afford to be distracted at the negotiations in Bonn by who wants out’

Q: What are your hopes for COP23 both as an individual and as the Seychelles Ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing States?

A: It is crucial, in the light of the US’ stated intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, that the world first of all rallies strongly behind the Paris Agreement. But that is not enough. We also must significantly strengthen the ambition of the Paris Agreement by increasing and building on the pledges that member countries have made so far to reach the goal of keeping the increase in atmospheric temperature to below 1.5C.

We cannot afford to be distracted at the negotiations in Bonn by who wants out. We have to remain focused on moving the Paris Agreement forward in a way that encourages everyone to not only stay in but to commit to stepping up the urgent climate action that is needed for the accord to succeed.

COP23 also needs to deliver more, and more urgently on the financing and other means of support that developing countries need to mitigate and adapt to climate change and fulfil their own pledges and commitments to the Paris Agreement.

Given that this will be the first COP hosted by a small island developing state, leading some to call it the first SIDS COP, we also expect the conference  to strengthen the link between, and interdependence of the climate change and sustainable development agendas.

Islands being what we are, this includes further highlighting the ocean link to climate change.

Q: Given that you have attended several COPs, would you say that you are satisfied with the outcomes and actions these meetings have brought about worldwide?

A: It is what it is. We reached the Paris Agreement at COP21 in 2015 because the circumstances were right at the time. The fact that no other country has shied away from its commitments in spite of the US announcement and that the rest of the world has united even more strongly around the agreement shows that despite all its weaknesses and shortcomings, the international community feels it was the right agreement at the right time.

While the world as a whole is nowhere near doing enough to reach the 1.5C goal, it is encouraging to note that the two most significant emerging emitters, China and India, are already surpassing their pledges.

Q: It was recently announced that four Seychellois youth will attend COP23 as part of the official Seychelles delegation in November. What are your hopes for the young Seychellois coming to COP for the first time?

A: My answer here also answers the first question about my hopes for Bonn as a Seychellois. Our youths have attended climate change COPs before, but this will be the first time they will be there as part, and in direct support of the official Seychelles delegation. I’m very excited about this and what it means for the future of both Seychellois youth and the country too.

An international youth climate NGO, the Youth Climate Lab (YCL), is helping us put together a Seychelles Support Team (SST) for this and future COPs where young Seychellois will work alongside experienced foreign youth dedicated to helping countries most vulnerable to climate change in following the negotiations and networking for the future.

Q: How important do you think youth inclusion is in such an important conference and other similar decision-making processes locally and internationally?

A: We are, after all, empowering our future decision-makers aren’t we? The SST will develop the next generation of Seychellois negotiators and experts on not only the Paris Agreement but hopefully the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

One of the things the Seychelles delegation and YCL are going to discuss in Bonn is the follow up to COP23, how to keep this collaboration going from COP to COP and hopefully extend it to such other critical world issues as sustainable development.

We will also look at how the four young Seychellois will apply what they learn and experience in Seychelles, and especially share it with other youth and the public at large. The idea is for more Seychellois youth to join future delegations so that the knowledge they gain will help our people and leaders take more informed decisions in future.

With more support, international as well as in Seychelles, we could maybe attach similar youth support teams to other delegations participating in sustainable development and oceans conferences.

Sincere thanks go to our partner YCL for providing its expertise pro bono and the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change for sponsoring the four young Seychellois. I’d like to take this opportunity to call on not just other ministries and the rest of government, but also the private sector and others who are in a position to help, to support more young Seychellois accompany our delegations to regional and international conferences.

It’s good for them, and it’s good for Seychelles too.

Ambassador Ronny Jumeau speaking at a Youth side event at COP22 in Morroco

Compiled by S. M. Barbé