Why is Tuvalu a hero for the day?

Tuvalu called for the suspension of the COP15 session because they felt they were not inclusive in a decision.

A crash course in the UNFCCC process tells us that an international treaty can be a binding only when all of the member countries converge on it.Today’s plenary session being abandoned briefly due to the influence of the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City at 0.44 km substaniates the process. The Climate Action Network has begun a Ray of the Day award – the first time ever was awarded to Tuvalu, for being so bold in the plenary session. A discussion on how valid were their arguments were and why the Indian party has opposed their stance is a separate argument altogether.

The democratic process of the UNFCCC was well established in this action. The impact of civil society and youth were also quite impactful too. Right after Tuvalu’s intervention the plenary was suspended and as a reaction to it the civil society and the youth together put up an act of direct action and Chants of “Tuvalu, Survival” “350″ and “Annex 1, stand up” echoed through the walls.

Statement from Tuvalu -We need to work, not as a country, but as an Earth

What we demand?

Call of Action

We demand that world leaders take the urgent and resolute action that is needed to prevent the catastrophic destabilisation of global climate, so that the entire world can move as rapidly as possible to a stronger emissions reductions treaty which is both equitable and effective in minimising dangerous climate change. 

We demand that the long-industrialised countries that have emitted most greenhouse gases currently in the atmosphere take responsibility for climate change mitigation by immediately reducing their own emissions as well as investing in a clean energy revolution in the developing world. Developed countries must take their fair share of the responsibility to pay for the adaptive measures that have to be taken, especially by low-emitting countries with limited economic resources.

Climate change will hit the poorest first and hardest. All who have the economic means to act, must therefore urgently and decisively do so.