Madame Chair,

I would like to thank you, Madame Chair, for the opportunity to participate in this significant deliberation as we begin this week’s intensive discussion on the CSD15 Outcome Document.

And at the outset, I am pleased to align myself with the statement made by Grenada on behalf of AOSIS and by Papua New Guinea on behalf of the Pacific SIDS.

Madame Chair,

While this session of the Commission and its Outcome Document cannot obviously address all the concerns and issues of particular interest to the small island developing states (SIDS), a few stand out today as having great importance. To be sure, for Micronesia and in fact for all SIDS, the lack of a dedicated Section in the Outcome Document dealing with SIDS is of particular concern. And so, my delegation echoes the calls made by SIDS for the Outcome Document to include such a Section to focus on the “Further Implementation of the Mauritius Strategy”. Such an inclusion reaffirms the mandated role of the Commission on Sustainable Development, as defined in the BPOA and the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation, as the primary intergovernmental body responsible for the implementation of and follow-up to the commitments related to SIDS.

Madame Chair,

While we do agree that fossil fuels will continue to play an important role we can only wonder over the prominence it was given in the draft text. In my delegation’s view, we should be pointing towards the future, and that can only be achieved by dramatically increasing the use of renewable energy.

Renewable energy is the most effective solution to meet our special needs. Solar, wind, tidal energy and others have the potential as alternative sources of energy for Micronesia and Pacific SIDS. They are clean and enable us to direct needed financial resources towards development. As the introduction and cost is a major barrier to SIDS, its affordability and success hinges on the increased technical and financial support of our bilateral and multilateral donors. Expedited ODA, in particular, will be of great help for SIDS. In addition, the establishment of a Global Renewable Energy Fund to assist developing countries, and particularly SIDS, is required.

For small island nations our dependence on fossil fuels for development, has created energy insecurity. It is obvious that urgent action by the international community is needed (through the provision of technical and financial assistance) to support the implementation of energy efficiency initiatives and renewable energy projects for SIDS. To put it bluntly, Madame Chair, our islands need help and will continue to need help. In this respect I would like to thank the governments of Italy and of India for their generous support of SIDS and call on other countries to follow their example.

Madame Chair,

I do have one final concern. We do not consider nuclear energy as an appropriate answer. It is neither feasible in our region nor should it be a development option anywhere else. The risk of accidents and the disposal of spent fuel outweigh any possible benefit.

To be clear, Madame Chair, SIDS are not average developing states. Remoteness and the lack of economies of scale create a special case and often solutions to our problems are different then for the rest of the world.

I thank you, Madame Chair.