PRIME Minister Mathew Wale has defended the USD400 thousand pledge to Green Climate Fund he announced during a GCF side event of the COP31 in Antalya, Turkey on Wednesday.
Solomon Islands has become the first country to pledge to the Green Climate Fund’s third replenishment (GCF-3), making history as the first Small Island Developing State (SIDS) or Least Developed Country (LDC) ever to pledge to a GCF replenishment cycle.
The USD 400,000 commitment is particularly symbolic: one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations is putting the first money on the table for GCF-3, ahead of the world’s largest economies.
The announcement comes as countries prepare for the Fund’s next replenishment cycle, culminating in October 2027, and sends a clear message to wealthier nations to step up their climate finance commitments.
His pledge has received resistance from Opposition Leader, Manasseh Sogavare, who critisied Prime Minister Wale saying to focus more on the low lying islands in the country that are affected by sea level rise rather than pledging to GCF.
Sogavare claimed the big emitters in the world should pledge to the GCF for contributing to the climate change.
In response, PM Wale said a decision by a government (cabinet) on any matter (including announcing a pledge to the GCF) is a sovereign decision informed by careful consideration and strategic positioning – no negotiator, country Party or COP decision has any right to question or ask for justification of such a sovereign decision.
He said Solomon Islands Government respects the sovereignty of other countries and does not interfere in their sovereign decisions.
PM Wale said Solomon Islands motivation to pledge support to GCF-3 is premised on the fact that many vulnerable communities in Solomon Islands are already at the frontlines of climatic impacts. Yet the global community is slow to respond by providing the necessary finance in grant form.
“Noting the urgency, Solomon Islands is faced with two choices wait and be passive as a climate victim; or being proactive as a global leader to influence other big emitters and industrialized countries to step and provide timely finance towards climate action. GREAT chose the latter,” he said.
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GCF is the largest multilateral climate fund and a fund for developing countries.
“Unlike the PRF where Solomon Islands is yet to benefit from a single cent but already committed US$1 million, the GCF has already approved more than US$140 million for the Solomon Islands.
“Therefore, the pledged amount is a demonstration of Solomon Islands’ recognition of the efficiency reforms undertaken by the GCF and building long-term trust and partnership for
the growing pipeline of projects and readiness needs from Solomon Islands that will be brought to the Fund in the near future,” he said.
PM Wale said Solomon Islands pledge to GCF-3 was not intended to push other SIDS or LDCs to contribute unless they decide voluntarily as per Article 9.2 of the Paris Agreement.
“At the same time, the pledge was not to absolve developed country Parties from fulfilling their legal obligations under Article 9,1 of the Paris Agreement to provide financial resources to assist developing country Parties with respect to both mitigation and adaptation in continuation of their existing obligations under the Convention.
Source: By EDDIE OSIFELO, Antalya, Turkey
