Statement at the Peacebuilding Commission Meeting on the Impact of Climate Change on Peacebuilding in the Pacific Islands

Thank you Chair.

The briefers and the Pacific country-representatives have made it abundantly clear that climate change represents a profound threat to the livelihood and security of their countries and citizens.

Kenya stands with the Pacific Islands in seeking to deploy every means available to the UN system to counter this threat.

Those means should be financed and deployed on the basis of responsibility and solidarity. Responsibility from those who are most responsible for causing climate change should be reflected in their meeting their climate action commitments. Solidarity from all member states, and people of goodwill, who understand that this threat to the Pacific Islands is shared by us all and that we must stand with them if humanity as a whole is to be saved from terrible harms.

Our responsibility and solidarity needs to deliver climate mitigation and adaptation actions that are development-positive for the Pacific. The extent of resources required demand that the Pacific, and the Global South in general, be far more economically prosperous than they are today.

The PBC's convening ability and openness to innovative approaches can be a crucial bridge between climate change action and preventive and conflict-responsive mechanisms.

The PBF can offer catalytic investment in the efforts of the Pacific countries, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and other regional mechanisms that can inspire scaled up financing by the IFIs.

In the coming weeks, we will have opportunities to deepen this conversation. Kenya and Portugal are co-hosting The Ocean Conference in Lisbon from 27th June to 1st July. We will be able to propel science-based innovative solutions for global ocean action.

Kenya as co-chair of the Informal Expert Group on Climate and Security will seek to deepen the Security Council's understanding and embrace of this agenda.

I thank you for your attention.