New Delhi, February 26 Fragmentation and unilateralism in climate change negotiations, and delays in meeting targets, have eroded confidence and weakened the world's ability to respond to global warming, according to Maldives Minister of State for Tourism and Environment, Muaviyath Mohmed.
"For the Maldives, multilateralism is not an abstract ideal, but a matter of survival. It is a low-lying country, with more than 99 per cent of the territory comprising oceans. Sea levels could rise by a metre by the end of this century, which can have economic and social impacts," Mohmed said on Thursday at the ongoing World Sustainable Development Summit organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
The minister also noted that the Global North, which has contributed the most to global emissions, should take responsibility, while the most vulnerable, such as small island nations, should be given access to climate finance.
Mohmed's comments come at a time when global efforts to tackle the climate crisis have been undermined, especially after the United States withdrew from 66 international organizations and conventions last month, its most significant withdrawal being from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
According to Mohmed, reforming the existing structure of institutions would be tough without re-energizing multilateralism.
"We must reform institutions. Many of the global governance structures were established in a different era, and must be able to reflect the realities of the 21st Century. Decision-making must be inclusive and representative, providing a meaningful voice and influence for developing countries," he said.
Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment, also underlined the significance of climate multilateralism, saying even children know that no country can solve the issue of global warming alone.
"We do not criticize a particular country for leaving institutions… We do criticize when a country puts pressure on other countries… At IMO (International Maritime Organisation), a majority of countries agreed that we needed to decarbonize our shipping lanes. But the agreement was under attack by one particular country. This we cannot accept," he said.
Flasbarth was referring to the negotiations at IMO in October 2025, where countries postponed plans to force shipowners to start paying for the damage they do to the climate under intense pressure from US President Donald Trump's government.
The failure of global institutions to propel collective climate action was also noted by Mattias Frumerie, Sweden's head of delegation of UNFCCC.
"The outcomes of the past few COPs (Conference of Parties) have been disappointing… To revitalize climate multilateralism, we aim to strengthen action on other platforms as well," he said.
