The leaders of CARICOM put forth a list of requests to Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, who is the president-designate for the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The event is set to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the chairman of the 15-member regional integration group, presented the list on behalf of CARICOM. Skerrit discussed the challenges faced by CARICOM on its 50th anniversary, especially with regard to climate change, which is currently the region’s biggest challenge.
“The Caribbean is one of the most vulnerable regions of the world; climate change, for us in the Caribbean, is an existential threat. We are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, suffering from the ravages of climate change that is not our making,” he said.
Skerrit believes that it is crucial for the world to lower emissions by 45% by 2030 and attain carbon neutrality by 2050, based on scientific evidence.
“The political leadership required, however, to deliver at the scale and speed necessary, is lagging. Despite the geopolitical challenges being experienced across the globe, we cannot let up on pursuing ambitious climate actions.”
He continued, “As the COP28 President-designate, we in the Caribbean will count on your leadership to ensure that COP28 is a COP of action. COP28 must deliver actions that are commensurate with ensuring that we keep 1.5 alive. Our lives and that of our children and their children depend on it.”
CARICOM countries are pushing for creating and funding a Loss and Damage Fund to assist countries vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The financial support should be dispersed through grants, and CARICOM is optimistic that COP28 will produce a solid strategy to double adaptation funding.
The Caribbean is also looking to determine the host of the Santiago Network and establish a fair and inclusive Work Programme for Just Transition that encompasses both mitigation and adaptation for all small island developing states (SIDS).
“These outcomes are critical to [rebuilding] trust in the UNFCCC process. Developed countries must be accountable, keep their promises and deliver the climate finance required if trust is to be maintained.
“They must deliver on the US$100 billion per year by COP28 and must commit new and additional resources by 2025 as we articulate the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance,” Skerrit said.
In the meeting, he stressed the importance of taking immediate action to prevent a global catastrophe as time is running out. He also highlighted Dominica’s experience with such disasters, citing Hurricane Maria which caused damages equivalent to 226% of the island’s GDP.
This occurred just two years after tropical storm Erika, which had already wiped out 90% of the GDP.
“Other CARICOM countries have similar experiences. As bad as this is, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) makes it clear that without steep cuts aligned to a 1.5 pathway, the situation will worsen.”
“As a result, we have committed in my country to pursue climate resilience across all aspects of our society and economy to avoid such losses in the future and enable more rapid recovery”.
“We, like all our CARICOM counterparts, require profound development finance reforms, solutions to the debt crisis, and equitable access to climate finance to make resilience a reality truly,” Skerrit said.
According to the CARICOM chairman, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has stated that there is a 66% probability of temporarily exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit in the next five years. Additionally, the WMO predicts with 98% certainty that the next five years will be the hottest on record.
“We know that with every increment of warming, the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters will increase…undermining our sustainable development aspirations,” Skerrit said, noting that it is with this urgency that Al Jaber will take up the mantle of the COP28 presidency.
Prime Minister,the Rt Hon Dr.Roosevelt Skerrit from VielleCase Dominica is Chairman of the 15 member CARICOM.No blue jealous DON KEY can change that.The blue Jacka quoting bible.Lucifer was cursed and cast down into the pit pit of HELL.The voice of the PEOPLE is the voice of GOD.You and your blue political party will NEVER win an election,because you and yours are cursed.
You got this wrong, it’s Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Prof. Dr. Dr. Roosevelt Chici Skerrit, the liar in chief of the Commonwealth of Dominica. Next time get your facts right, you Red nosed clown.
“The political leadership required, however, to deliver at the scale and speed necessary, is lagging.” I concur!
Talk about conflict of interest! Dr. Sultan Al-Jaber is CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, so it is no wonder some greedy and unscrupulous leaders hoping to flash their climate change credentials, would see him as their Santa Claus (remember Madeuke, the Nigerian Oil Minister who became a Dominica “diplomat”?) Some of those leaders may also be making their personal lists of goodies and checking them twice hoping for their personal windfalls ( a new jeep, perhaps?) Many members of the European parliament have openly called for the removal of Sultan Al-Jaber on the argument that the head of a national oil company should not be the president-designate of a climate conference. They posit that it is like putting the tobacco industry in charge of ending smoking. But, given our track record, he may well end up as a resilient Dominica “diplomat.” Stay tuned.
PM going to yet another meeting with World leaders. Somebody of Intelligence please accompany him and wire him when he speaks, so that he does not make a fool of himself when he talks.
CARICOM could have star boy of stupidity as their figurehead chairman permanently and relieve Dominica of this impediment to progress.
The country needs a to-do-list of practical solutions to its myriad of problems. Instead of relief, the laundry list of woes just continues to balloon under the stewardship of this buffoon.
It is impossible to – walk on water; lick your own elbow; for elephants to fly. Just so, it is impossible for Roosevelt, with his severely limited intelligence, to change his errant, dogmatic ways that are causing untold misery to the long suffering Dominican people.
Liar liar your pants on fire. liar you
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit while you are out in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for COP 28 later this year, do not forget to sort out the Commonwealth of Dominica passports being given away when someone buys an apartment in the UAE without any due diligence done! Boss crook comes to town! How is old man Ambassador Hubert Charles coping in this fiasco? Living sweet, nothing to complain about!
Did you MEME,and the other blue useless parasites read that?Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit CHAIRMAN of the 15 member REGIONAL integration group presented a list to Dr.Sultan Al Jaber.That is the man you call stupid,a man you will never walk in his shoes.A man who walk and dine with Kings and Presidents.Unlike your UWP leaders who has a recorded history of DISHONESTY.
@Lin clown
You can’t understand english. Heads of CARICOM came up with the list. Sure Skerrit contributed nothing to that. SKERRIT just has to present or deliver it as head of Caricom. Are you a doltish?? Sure you are, and a shameless illiterate too, who has no understanding of the english language.
He would love to get his dirty hands on this honey pot.
A good leader should have: vision, integrity, good communication skills, good problem- solving skills, a positive attitude, empathy and gratitude, emotional intelligence, etc.
Star boy has none of these crucial qua!cities to be an effective and efficient leader. The man is an ill-mannered, inarticulate, uncaring, u!tra-selfish, quick-tempered, dimwitted, dishonest, egoistic maniac.
Fortunately for CARICOM, he only has another four months as chairperson and not the twenty years as he has as the worst ‘leader’ in the history of Dominica.
Anytime I see Roosevelt Skerrit said this or that on any news article or from any news outlet, this scripture verse immediately comes to mind “ You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. “
John 8:44.
I sure don’t see a difference between the two, do you?
In this rotating position as the chairperson of CARICOM, this sort of action is routine. Somebody is working overtime to try to rehabilitate the indelibly tarnished reputation of the star boy of stupidity.
In Trinidad and Tobago, and outside of Dominica, Roosevelt is generally regarded as a colossal LIAR, stupid, and a corrupt, intellectual featherweight. For twenty consecutive years as the ruler of Dominica, he has done nothing of significance to distinguish himself. All he has done is to bring shame and scandals to the once pristine image of this naturally blessed divine land.