Climate Change: Regional Forum on Advancing Implementation Readiness of Nationally Determined Contributions

A Regional Forum for Practitioners in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on Advancing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Implementation Readiness was held, today, at the Hennessy Park Hotel, Ebène.

The event was attended by the Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Rajesh Anand Bhagwan; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Dhananjay Ramful; the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr Oliver Knoerich; the High Commissioner of Australia, Ms Kate Chamley; the United Kingdom Special Envoy for Small Island Developing States, Mr Tim Hemmings; the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, Mr Paul Brummel; and the Director, Innovation Change Participation, Mr Ruben Van Der Laan along with other personalities.

In his keynote address, Minister Bhagwan highlighted that SIDS are not passive victims of climate change but are committed to being architects of climate solutions. In this regard, he recalled that Mauritius hosted the United Nations Conference on SIDS in 2005, during which the Mauritius Strategy acknowledged climate adaptation and renewable energy development as urgent priorities.

He further observed that twenty years later, the urgency has intensified despite numerous global climate conferences held since 1995. Scientific evidence from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirms the growing impacts of climate change, including increasing loss and damage, food insecurity, water scarcity and potential instability, he said.

Mr Bhagwan also emphasised that climate diplomacy must be supported by climate justice and fair access to finance. According to him, the forum provides a practical regional platform to advance NDC implementation readiness, unlock climate finance and strengthen partnerships.

Minister Ramful, for his part, pointed out that the Forum represents the first peer-to-peer platform of its kind in the Indian Ocean region to advance NDC implementation readiness among SIDS. Climate change is an existential challenge for Mauritius with rising sea levels, coastal erosion and extreme weather events already affecting key sectors such as tourism, fisheries and the ocean economy, thereby influencing economic stability and national development, he said.

On that score, Mr Ramful reaffirmed Mauritius’ commitment to ambitious climate action under the Paris Agreement through the submission of its NDC 3.0 in September 2025 while stressing that effective implementation of national climate commitments requires substantial financial resources, estimated at USD 5.7 billion for mitigation and adaptation over the period 2026–2035.

He further underscored the importance of mobilising private investment, enhancing access to international climate finance and strengthening institutional capacity to support climate-resilient and sustainable development pathways for Mauritius and other SIDS.

About the Regional Forum

The three-day regional peer-to-peer exchange, from 24 to 26 February 2026, aims to strengthen national capacities and enhancing NDC implementation readiness among SIDS. It is organised by the Government of Mauritius in collaboration the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the NDC Partnership and the Centre for Access to Climate Finance, UK International Development, World Bank, Climate Analytics, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centre and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Forum seeks to provide a platform for knowledge exchange and regional cooperation, bringing together around 100 delegates, including policymakers, practitioners, local participants from different ministries and local bodies, as well as experts from other SIDS regions such as Fiji, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, Cabo Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Guinea Bissau.

24 February 2026

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Topics: Environment