Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has expressed the view that the only pathway to sustainable development in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is a low-carbon and climate resilient one.

Mr. Stuart expressed this view on Tuesday while addressing a High-Level UN Event hosted by the High Commissioner for Landlocked Developing Countries and SIDS.

According to him, this low-carbon and climate resilient pathway would ???ensure our energy security; boost economic competitiveness; create new and decent jobs; and improve well-being across our regions???.

The Prime Minister reminded his audience that small island developing states were especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and other external shocks.

???I have maintained before and reiterate here today, that Gross Domestic Product per capita should not be the sole indicator utilised in the determination of a country???s graduation from official development assistance and access to concessional finance.

???Therefore, the provision of and access to adequate, effective and sustained capacity building, technical and financial assistance and technology transfer for Small Island Developing States through regional and national modalities, global partnerships and international cooperation must be emphasised,??? he said.

CARICOM???s position, Mr. Stuart stated, is that the special circumstances of SIDS should be an integral part of the Paris Agreement coming from the 21st meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and should be adequately reflected in the provisions on obligations for the different Parties.

He reiterated that CARICOM is of the view that all Parties should commit to taking individual and collective action to curb greenhouse gas emissions in line with the ambitious goal to hold global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

In addition, the Prime Minister stressed that all Parties should subject themselves to regular five-year cycles of reporting, verification and updating on mitigation commitments. He added that CARICOM wants all Parties to commit to supporting the vulnerable countries that are Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries.

???In short, we need an ambitious, high performance, legally binding agreement with global participation,??? Mr. Stuart underscored.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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