Caribbean leaders have told their counterparts from all around the world who are gathered here for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), that their unique characteristics and special circumstances must be fully recognised and included as a cornerstone of a new agreement expected here next week.
The leaders said the voices of the most vulnerable and those with the least capacities must be heard loud and clear in the final document. St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony said: “If I am found to speak with passion it can only be explained by the fact that I represent a Small Island Developing State which like others in common is characterised by its unique circumstances and special vulnerabilities.”
Dr. Anthony noted that emission reduction pledges that have been submitted so far indicate that the planet will warm by 2.7 degrees Celsius by the end of this century: “The devastating effects of climate change on our countries are well known and documented, yet despite irrefutable evidence and scientific data there appears to be a sinister attempt to downplay and negate the unique vulnerabilities of our stake in the outcome of COP21.” He said this is unacceptable and called for more ambitious cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
Prime Minister Anthony’s Barbadian counterpart, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, is concerned that the collective mitigation actions defined in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted thus far are not enough to realise the 1.5 degrees Celsius global goal that is the aspiration of Small Island Developing States: “This shortcoming challenges us to take a sober look at our current predicament and in the coming days define the path to success for the planet earth and for all of its peoples. Barbados’ Intended Nationally Determined Contributions commits us to doing our part as a small island developing state while also trying to make the required adjustments to cope with current and future climate challenges.”
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris said his country, like other SIDS has been undergoing many climate-related changes such as sea level rise, extreme weather events, prolonged and severe droughts and disruption to its reefs, coastlines and agriculture: “The dangers of climate change are real and present. The threat is existential. Greenhouse gas emissions from small island states like St. Kitts and Nevis are negligible yet our small island states continue to be adversely and disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. As responsible global citizens we are already acting locally to reduce our national carbon footprint even further.”
Grenada’s Prime Minister and Chairman of the OECS Authority Dr. Keith Mitchell said COP21 represents a defining moment in world history.
He described the situation as historic as the world moves towards saving the planet and preserving life on earth for all its inhabitants and generations to come: “A defining moment to address the scourge of the impacts of climate change; a moment to commit to a paradigm shift and to set the path for a different future; a future characterised by low carbon emissions and climate resilient development consistent with a sustainable development pathway. We must have sufficient ambition as called for by the undisputed science to guarantee that the increase in global average temperature must remain below 1.5 degrees above the pre-industrial levels. We must commit to this as the overall goal of the new agreement.”
Grenada has been identified among some of the most vulnerable countries with the least capacity to cope with the ravages of climate change.
The simplest solution would be to change the climate.
special recognition for what? so us dominicans and fellow islanders going to sit down there and watch our leaders sell us under the myth of CLIMATE CHANGE i mean seriously?
this is a serious law and order and a very if not the largest money scheme ever created on the face of the earth not even WAR nor DRUGS nor PRESCRIPTION DRUGS would generate even half of what all these UN fools would generate with these CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENTS bullshit,
simple group of crazy wannabes begging for funding for themselves while us the civilians gonna be living helll under their laws about what we can use and what we cant in this world.
we citizens are not the ones destroying this planet nor is THE CHANGE IN CLIMATE
climate always change
simple example
we are now recording temperatures on planet earth 17 TIMES MORE than we ever have in the past 60 YEARS or more
look it up yourself
DONT BE FOOLED
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
DO YOUR RESEARCH
fellow dominican at your service
Food for sorts: You make no damn sense whatsoever. You are just a blind “Reap-publican.”
Because man rejected the Lord Jesus and refused to obey the word of God, there is no one else to turned to but to his own vain imaginations.God said,
This present heavens and earth which are now preserved by His word,and are also reserved for fire until the day of judgement of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:7
So when Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada said.
“The world moves toward saving the planet and preserving life for all it’s inhabitants and generations to come.”
Friends who are you going to believe,God and His words or politicians? God is the one who made heaven and earth and is the one who sustains it also He has made it abundantly clear that He is reserves this planet for fire on judgement day.
Obama wants to saved the planet but not babies in the womb.Millions of innocent babies are being slaughtered per year through abortion which he is in full support.
Man is just vain in his thoughts
I smell a big money coming!
Labourites don’t worry your heads…the future looks bright, real bright for us!
Was Dominica present as was the 150 leaders and 200 countries ?did we speak out like the rest ?
ERIKA was our DIRECT experience of climate change !We had a message did we deliver ?
Did we lobby for assistance when all world leaders were present and NGO,S etc ?
Are we listening, and taking the right action to sustain and protect our World. Please educate us and convince us its just not all talk and no action after their ten minutes in the Media. Hope spring eternal.
The ignorance is appalling. Geoengineering is a major factor in what is going on with the climate. Look up DOMEX2011. The main experient is from Guadalupe down through Martinique. Watch the streaks left by the planes in the sky and notice how they change the weather. All brought to you by NASA, US Air Force, UN and Monsanto (biological warfare agents)
WHO REPRESENTED DOMINICA?
“Dr. Anthony noted that emission reduction pledges that have been submitted so far indicate that the planet will warm by 2.7 degrees Celsius by the end of this century:” false information – our earth is surrounded by ice, this cannot be possible.
“The devastating effects of climate change on our countries are well known and documented…” Just because it’s documented does not make it TRUE! Stop lying to earth citizens in efforts to further your agenda of total control of the little remaining resources available. Not every one believes these liars!!! Water and land should be free to every one, now you elite brick heads want to control the O. Liquid oxygen, when combined with liquid hydrogen, makes an excellent rocket fuel. They want all of it at any cost!!!
DNO, could you please say who represented Dominica at this meeting
“Special recognition” is just an euphemism for “we want more money”. It was ever thus with our fellows. When it comes to money they disregard party colours as long as it are Euros, Pounds or preferably green dollars. They are jockeying for position a the the through where all expect to feed at the expense of the developed countries but I still have to see what they are doing locally to reduce carbon emissions. And how much of the expected handouts will filter through to the common people in the street in who’s names this largess is collected? A bunch of beggars they are, who happily sell carbon credits to polluting countries only to blame them for the same pollution and cash in twice. Hypocrites!
What did Skerrit say,i know not much ,this kind of initiative is no importance to him.