Caribbean Net News – July 17, 2008
In echoing the arguments of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries about the impact of climate change on Caribbean economies, Guyana's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues told the Sixth United Kingdom/Caribbean forum, which opened this week in London, that the phenomenon is now among the most fundamental threats to the sustainable development and even existence of the Caribbean region. The two-day forum’s first session dealt with sustainable development as it relates to climate change and eco-tourism and the Minister pointed out that both (climate change and eco-tourism) have maintained a prominent place on national, regional and international agendas in keeping with development aspirations and with the region’s overarching desire to achieve international objectives including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the 2015 target date.
In alluding to articles 4.8 and 4.9 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Foreign Affairs Minister said Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are the most vulnerable to the adverse impact of climate change through hurricane and flood ravages which have become more intense and frequent as a result of changing weather patterns. “Unfortunately, while the Caribbean contributes little to adversely affect the climate, it feels the brunt of these adverse impacts…some countries in the Caribbean, such as Guyana and Suriname, with large forest cover, contribute positively to a cleaner environment through the ecosystem services they provide,” she said. On this note, it was explained that CARICOM has remained committed to putting programmes in place and implementing initiatives to confront the threats. One such initiative was noted to be the Mauritius Strategy, derived from the Barbados Plan of Action review that sought to build the region’s capacity to identify and implement appropriate climate change adaptation actions. These actions have resulted in projects such as the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change.
“CARICOM Heads have reaffirmed the importance of reviewing and strengthening adaptation policies. It is essential that these and other issues of importance to the Caribbean be advanced in the negotiations for a post-Kyoto framework and we welcome the efforts being made by the United Kingdom in the context of its membership in the Group of Eight in advancing efforts for the successful realisation of a comprehensive post 2012 Kyoto agreement,” Minister Rodrigues contended while expressing the hope that the framework would holistically address the challenges associated with climate change.
The Minister said CARICOM looks forward to discussions with the UK on ways in which they could work jointly to advance these positions. She outlined the Iwokrama forest initiative in Guyana and also alluded to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda last year where a plan was announced that would place the countries’ standing forests at the disposal of the Global Campaign against Climate Change while earning carbon credits to assist in national development. Rodrigues also made reference at the forum to the steps taken by CARICOM at a recent meeting for the initiation of a Regional Tourism Investment Fund and the UK’s support for the Fund. She concluded by expressing the hope that the forum would provide the opportunity for the countries to advance practical measures for cooperation in the areas she outlined and noted that CARICOM is looking forward to the support of the UK as the countries work to fulfill their sustainable development goals.
Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo has long been advocating that countries with intact standing rainforests receive monetary compensation for the services these forests provide to the rest of the world as they store large amounts of carbon.
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Caribbean Net News: Climate change fundamental threat to sustainable development, says Guyana minister
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