A Rally for Our Survival

(Left) Ambassador Marlene Moses of Nauru at the Survival Rally

Durban, South Africa, 2 December - Ambassadors from small island nations joined a large crowd at the 17th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework to the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP17) in Durban South Africa to push back on new proposals that would delay a new climate treaty until 2020.

Activitsts at the rally

The Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) is working hard to fulfil the moral and ethical obligation to protect their people and will reject any outcome in Durban that cannot ultimately safeguard the livelihoods and guarantee the survival of island nations.



Activitsts at the rally

If Durban puts off a legally binding agreement and closes the door on raising mitigation ambition before 2020 many of the small island states will be literally and figuratively doomed.

Ambassador Dessima Williams of Grenada the current Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States and Ambassador Marlene Moses of Nauru, the incoming Chair of AOSIS united with supporters and other Ambassadors to call for immediate climate action.

Mr Casper Supa (Solomon Islands)
with the United Sates
media at the rally

“We represent the people of our country – our food security will not survive, our water security and our survivability,” said Ambassador Moses.

Ambassador Williams added, “We are all connected as islands and the same message applies to the whole city of Durban. If we go under – Durban goes under.”

Activists marched through the streets of Durban
before arriving at the rally

“I live on the beachfront and from what I see from my hotel window, when the storm surges come, like our islands they cover the low lying parts of Durban. Your conference in Durban cannot condemn us without condemning itself. So our message is for all the people of Durban during COP 17 are that we are all small islanders, so don’t save us save yourself - we are one in the same.” 

Activists at the rally