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ShareCOLOMBO: After the succesful underwater cabinet meeting last month to highlight the threat to his atoll nation from rising sea waters, Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed will host a two-day summit next week focussing the danger posed by climate change to developing nations.
The meeting, to be held on November 9 and 10, aims to forge a common position among developing countries on the contentious issue of financing for climate adaptation and green growth, an official statement said today.
The summit will take place at Bandos Island Resort, close to the Maldivian capital Male.
Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, Kiribati, Rwanda and Ghana are expected to attend the summit. China, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United States will send their observers, it said.
"The summit will bring together a diverse, like-minded group of the most climate-vulnerable countries," Mohamed Aslam, the environment minister of Maldives said.
"Some of the nations most at risk from rising sea levels, desertification, glacier melt and more extreme weather events associated with climate change have been invited," Aslam said.
"Climate change threatens every country on Earth. But some nations are at the frontline of this battle. And many developing, frontline states, who do not have resources for adaptation, are most vulnerable," he said.
"Vulnerable, developing nations, who have not significantly contributed to greenhouse gas emissions, stand to suffer most from climate change," Aslam said.
Intensifying storm surges, water shortages, floods and droughts, loss of land and major displacement of populations threaten to reverse decades of development progress and poverty alleviation, the release said.
"Developed countries must shift towards green growth. For developing countries to grow towards a climate sound future, they need technical and financial assistance in both adaptation and green development," Aslam said.
The minister hoped the summit would provide a platform for nations, whose voice often go unheard in climate change negotiations, and is expected to offer solutions ahead of the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December and beyond.
