The president of the Indian Ocean island has said he no longer wants to hear promises from rich nations about cmliate change .
Climate change is affecting the whole world, but small countries made up of islands are among the most affected by the rise in sea level and its direct consequences for the entire nation.
That is why the president of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, has shown his frustration at hearing promises from the richest countries about this phenomenon that have not been fulfilled so far.
This is reported by Bloomberg, who spoke with the president about the next annual climate change summit of the United Nations.
“I am totally disappointed,” said Ramkalawan. “The big promises, the commitments and everything else, not a penny has been fulfilled. My expectations are not that high, but I think we have to follow the movements.”
Vulnerable to climate change
Ramkalawan said that Western countries provide climate aid to nations that “waste everything” and make no real change. He hopes that a vulnerability index can be implemented so that countries like his can get the assistance they are supposed to receive.
Seychellois residents on the granite outcroppings might not be in as much immediate danger, but the outermost coral islands of the archipelago are threatened by rising ocean waters. To make matters worse, the country is a tourist destination that relies heavily on its natural beauty for income.
Financing
Rich countries agreed at the Glascow summit to double the funding they give poor nations to tackle climate change, without giving a specific figure. This year’s COP27 will be in Egypt and is expected to focus on the needs of Africa. A promise made years ago to give $100 billion in annual funding has not been fulfilled.
Ramkalawan, 61, called for a revamp of the way the need for grants and concessional financing to offset the impact of global warming, currently focused on wealth, is assessed.
Seychelles, with a population of just under 100,000, has a per capita gross domestic product of about $10,764, according to the World Bank. That’s well above the average of about $1,501 for sub-Saharan Africa.