Toespraak Koenders tijdens Commonwealth Top Malta

Toespraak | 28-11-2015

Welcome.

Thank you all for being here.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands and SIDS share a special bond. A bond that we cherish. Our Kingdom lies partly in Europe and partly in the Caribbean. 3 of the 4 autonomous countries in our Kingdom - Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten - are located in the Caribbean. And they themselves are SIDS. The Netherlands also has special municipalities in the Caribbean: the islands of Saba, St Eustatius and Bonaire. Our transatlantic set-up links two continents. We know about the challenges you face. Like you, we face the threat of rising sea levels and climate change.

Sea levels have risen by 20 centimetres since 1880. And they could rise by another metre or more by 2100. Worldwide, nearly 700 million people live in low-lying coastal areas less than 10 metres above sea level. Already, between 100 and 200 million people a year are victims of floods, droughts and other water-related disasters. By 2050, this number could double.

This poses a truly existential threat to us all. The Netherlands is a low-lying delta country which has been dealing with floods for centuries. It will take a bit longer before Saba is flooded, as the island boasts the Kingdom's highest point (Mount Scenery at 887 metres). But more than half the population of my own country live below sea level. So together with you, we share short and long-term interests in meeting the challenges that climate change, rising sea levels and flooding pose to sustainable development. Your concerns are our concerns. We attach great importance to enhancing climate change resilience, especially for the most vulnerable countries and groups with limited resources and capacity.

The effects of climate change threaten to undermine many of the successes achieved in peace and development over the past 70 years. These changes to our climate and the environment are overwhelmingly man-made. And they will put pressure on peace and human security - nationally and internationally.

Each country - no matter how small - can do its part in the fight against climate change. Joining forces is the key to responding to this threat. We all share the risks of climate change and environmental degradation. Rising sea levels affect everyone. Hurricanes show no respect for international borders. The consequences of droughts or flash floods cannot be contained nationally. To echo UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: 'Countries must work towards the common interest, beyond narrow national interests. Climate change carries no passports and knows no national boundaries.' In short, we must respond with an integrated and international approach.

A few days before the world meets in Paris, we're reminding ourselves what's at stake. We hope and trust we will reach an ambitious agreement that meets the world's needs and expectations. Preventing climate change as much as we can is crucial. Climate and the environment, development and security are interlinked.

That's why I was pleased that President Hollande hosted a session on climate and security this afternoon. Our Kingdom is also actively addressing climate change and its impact on security. Earlier this month, I launched the Planetary Security Initiative. Our aim is to establish a joint platform for experts and policymakers. So we can better understand and anticipate the risks. And ultimately respond better to climate-related security challenges. We had the pleasure of welcoming several participants from the Pacific and Caribbean SIDS to the Planetary Security Conference at the Peace Palace in The Hague. Climate change, environmental degradation and resource scarcity are now becoming top global priorities.

Our Kingdom is actively reaching out to countries that face challenges similar to ours. And I'm proud to announce that we're launching a training course for SIDS called 'Blue Diplomacy'. The course focuses on the sustainable use of oceans, on climate change and on negotiating skills.

The Kingdom is making the voice of SIDS heard in various international forums. In our dialogue with the World Bank on a new Project Preparation Financing Facility for water resilience, we've asked for a special 'window' for SIDS. We believe the new facility will create tremendous opportunities for SIDS worldwide - helping you formulate bankable proposals and get support in setting up projects related to water resilience.

We all know that preventing climate change is not enough. That's why we're sharing our water management experience with countries all over the world. The Netherlands has been living with water for centuries. So we have a lot to offer when it comes to disaster prevention and early action. Our Disaster Risk Reduction teams make the best Dutch water and delta expertise available to governments that urgently want to prevent water-related disasters. And we assist countries that have experienced such disasters and want to prevent new ones. A Dutch team visited Vanuatu and Kiribati this summer to advise their governments on water issues. And the Dutch Surge Support facility helps ensure a better international response when disaster does strike.

Last month, Aruba launched a Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development in partnership with UNDP. The centre is a platform for South-South cooperation and knowledge exchange on renewable energy, public-private partnerships, water management, tourism, the environment and health. I understand that the Commonwealth will open a similar centre of excellence in the near future. These centres are a game-changing opportunity for SIDS to share knowledge and experience, to ensure resilience to climate change and drive their sustainable development priorities. We've also joined forces with the UNESCO Institute for Water Education - conveniently located in the Netherlands - to launch a water management programme that will help SIDS deal more effectively with the effects of climate change.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This is an important year. The growing attention to climate change gives us the chance to redouble our efforts. The time has come to commit ourselves. And take action against climate change and its consequences. We need to work together and help each other. Because we face a massive challenge. Finding innovative solutions to water- and climate related challenges lies at the heart of our bid for a seat on the UN Security Council for 2017-18. It goes without saying that - if elected - we will make the voice of SIDS heard in the Council's open debates. We want to be your partner for peace, justice and development.

I believe that we can learn from each other, share experiences and together find innovative solutions to water- and climate-related challenges. In the words of Ban Ki-moon 'there is no plan B, because there is no planet B'. I value the opportunity to deepen and expand our partnerships with the countries represented here and look forward to engaging with you.

Thank you. Words: 1120