Dominica has signed a carbon-trading agreement with the Confederation of Switzerland to advance the goals of Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement.
According to a release from the Office of the Prime Minister, the agreement was inked by Minister for the Environment, Rural Modernization and Kalinago Upliftment, Hon. Cozier Frederick, at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP 26), in Glasgow Scotland.
Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement recognizes voluntary collaborative actions between countries to reduce carbon emissions, as an adaptive response to climate change and the promotion of sustainable development and environmental integrity.
“Article 6 of the Paris Agreement aims at promoting integrated, holistic and balanced approaches that will assist governments in implementing their nationally determined contributions (NDCs)their national GHG emissions reductions targets – NDCs through voluntary international cooperation,” an article on the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) website sates.
It says that this cooperation mechanism, if properly designed, should make it easier to achieve reduction targets and raise ambition and adds that in particular, Article 6 could also establish a policy foundation for an emissions trading system, which could help lead to a global price on carbon.
“Under this mechanism, countries with low emissions would be allowed to sell their exceeding allowance to larger emitters, with an overall cap of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, ensuring their net reduction,” the ICC goes on to explain in the article. “Supply and demand for emissions allowances would lead to the establishment of a global carbon price that would tie the negative externalities of GHG emissions to polluters. In other words, by paying a price on carbon, states exceeding their NDCs would bear the costs of global warming.”
It is expected that through this flexible approach, GHG emissions would undergo a strong decline, coupled with stimulation for innovative and cleaner technologies and an overall transition towards a low-carbon economy.
In addition to being a driver for carbon pricing, it is also being suggested that the successful implementation of Article 6 could create new channels for climate finance and lead to technology transfer and capacity-building.
In this regard, the Dominica government believes that the agreement with Switzerland will facilitate Dominica’s transition to climate resilience and low carbon economic transformation and will include electrification of the island’s transport sector.
The OPM release says that under the agreement, the Government of Dominica will have access to comprehensive financial support to implement projects resulting in measurable carbon reductions. It states that the government has already approved a feasibility study for the National Low carbon Transport Project, being undertaken by Grutter Consultants, a Switzerland-based firm.
“The feasibility analysis will examine the possibility of electric trams for the capital city, Roseau, electric passenger buses, cargo carrying vehicles, electric private cars and nonmotorized vehicles. It will also explore options for pedestrian walkways, green ammonia and green hydrogen for maritime vessels, and appropriate ammonia and hydrogen infrastructure for green maritime transport and export,” the releases states.
According to the OPM release, the government plans to engage stakeholders to identify other appropriate projects for consideration and onward submission to the Swiss Confederation for development assistance.
When you settle for access to financing it’s mostly loans to buy product from them. Cozier, it’s best you all think long-term and secure deals for manufacturing, brainstorm ways to convince them to build some of their electric vehicles in Dominica. Common you can do it.
Just look at what they did to many Africa nations that made them poor and reliant on aid, preventing countries from even being able to feed themselves, using their institutions such as the WTO to enact laws called ‘Free Trade Agreement’ etc forbidding governments in Africa from subsidizing their farmers, while allowing the U.S, and European countries to subsidize theirs. You have to think long-term, make things happen besides bowing to that money borrowing attitude.
Not practical. The developed nations do everything they can to keep former colonies at bay. Create global policy on pollution while being the greatest polluters and anti sustainability drivers. Yet we have leaders who just tow the line do what they’re told. Is anyone running this country? Like really?
We need our own direction in the fight of climate change. We need to return to eating what we grow. Stop importing all that plastic wrapped junk. Organize and educate our people. Put education first.
Good ideas have never brought about change to any regime, (as far as I know.) Come help us put Boots on the ground around Roseau and Dominica to effect change. Until then, we will continue to post ideas and opinions. We are 15 years behind from the time we should have stood up and demand change. Now, look what has happened to our country! I’m reading all of these nice and intellectual comments and I’ve been doing so for many years. Still no change. So I’m telling all you “intellectuals” out there who posts comments daily on DNO, that your comments do not impress me one bit. Dominica needs Action! Not fancy comments. We call each other fools and disrespect ourselves on the world stage while our country continues to be sold piece by piece right before our very eyes. I have one word to describe you people; SELFISH. When you will be sent home to your own country (Dominica) then no one will know you. Those who knew you will pretend not to have known you.
You are right bro. We taking money from Switzerland so they can continue polluting the world and who gets that money. Skerrit of course because he is the finance minister. I wonder if our Consul in Zurich have any part in this. Is crooks and schemers that create that carbon credit market for gullible people like us and all we can see is the money that does not reduce pollution in our poor countries and does not improve the lot of our poor.
Don’t hold your breath.
I will see it when I see it.These UWP AHOLES always say that.The Windsorpark Stadium was a white elephant the New Roseau hospital was a pie in the sky.The Marigot hospital was a lie,everything DLP do in FAVOUR of the PEOPLE these AHOLES against
“the possibility of electric trams for the capital city, Roseau, electric passenger buses, cargo carrying vehicles, electric private cars and nonmotorized vehicles”
OMG I’m laughing so hard.
Electric transportation in Dominica? I will believe it when I see it. Let’s see if in 10 years DNO have to give the chronological run down of the attempt to implement that just like how they have to give the timeline of the geothermal energy project which we still do not have after almost a decade if not more.