At the UN climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, the small island nations, represented by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), made a dramatic stand by walking out of negotiations in a moment that nearly brought the summit to a halt. This walkout, which took place after a tense 19-hour overrun, was led by Michai Robertson, a key negotiator for AOSIS, and marked the first time in the history of UN climate discussions that the group had left the table.
Robertson, who serves as AOSIS’s finance negotiator, explained that the decision to walk out was driven by frustration over the lack of response to their demands for increased financial support to combat the effects of climate change. “We’ve been laughed at for asking for more funds,” Robertson told BBC News. The small island nations, which are among the most vulnerable to climate change, have long sought greater financial commitments from wealthier nations to help them cope with rising sea levels, extreme weather, and other climate-related disasters. The group’s motto, “1.5 to stay alive,” underscores their commitment to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels a goal they believe is vital for their survival.
Despite the tense atmosphere, Robertson emphasized that AOSIS was not backing down. “We’re not going to be walked over anymore, as we have been in the past,” he said. The walkout followed a particularly contentious session in which ministers were discussing a deal that fell short of the group’s expectations. AOSIS, alongside the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), had been demanding a much larger sum than what was being offered $500 billion annually to address climate impacts, a figure far above the proposed $300 billion.
The walkout itself was unplanned but instinctive, Robertson recalled. “It was so quick and spontaneous,” he said. The frustration reached a tipping point when Evans Njewa, chair of the Least Developed Group, raised his flag and voiced the group’s dissatisfaction, saying, “You’re not hearing us.” This act of solidarity led to a collective decision to leave the negotiations.
While the walkout was a powerful statement, AOSIS eventually returned to the table after pressure from various parties. They did not secure the full amount they had requested, but a deal was struck, promising $300 billion annually to developing countries until 2035. However, this figure still fell short of AOSIS’s needs. The deal also included a vague commitment of $1.3 trillion from both public and private sources, but no clear plans were made on where this money would come from or who would contribute.
Despite the concessions, Robertson remained resolute. “The $300 billion is not enough,” he acknowledged, but he stressed that AOSIS would continue to push for more in future talks, particularly at COP30 in Brazil next year. “The best thing that came out of this is that they know we are a force to be reckoned with,” he concluded, signaling that the small island states are ready to continue their fight for climate justice.
