The development of the blue economy and renewable energy sectors is critical for ocean states like Barbados in maximising gains and achieving the target of being fossil fuel free by 2030.
These points were underscored when Ambassador with the Kingdom of Norway, Beate Stirø met with Minister of the Environment and National Beautification, Adrian Forde, during a courtesy call at the Ministry’s Warrens Tower II, St. Michael headquarters on Wednesday.
She was joined by Honorary Consul for Norway to Barbados, Erica Luke, while Minister Forde was accompanied by Permanent Secretaries for Environment and Blue Economy, Charley Browne and Sonia Foster respectively, along with other ministry officials.
During the discussion, Mr. Forde noted that Barbados was currently working with the Nature Conservancy to roll out its Marine Spatial Plan. He welcomed any expertise that could be provided to guide that process.
He also indicated that Barbados had already begun its transition towards electric vehicles, and there were a number of charging stations across the country. In addition, he stated that there were also plans to use renewable energy on buildings.
In response, the Ambassador noted that Norway was successful in transferring to electric mobility in the private, public and maritime transport sectors.
She added that by 2025 all new cars sold in that country should have zero emissions as there were a number of incentives in place to encourage sales.
Mrs. Stirø said she was happy that matters related to the ocean were now taking centre stage in international and multilateral forums.
However, she pointed out that a recommendation made during a high level panel was for coastal and ocean states to develop sustainable coastal ocean plans, and it invited them to develop a standard by which they would be guided.
The Ambassador further stated that her government supported countries that wanted to establish marine protected areas, as food from the ocean was a critical part of their survival.
Mrs. Stirø also used the opportunity to invite Barbados to become a signatory to the Copenhagen Declaration on the International Declaration on Transnational Organised Crime in the Global Fishing Industry, to which 12 Caribbean countries were already signatory.
Other areas discussed during the visit were: ways to share knowledge and expertise in assisting Barbados to deal with the sargassum seaweed; the importance of ocean research, the use of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADS) in the fishing industry, climate change and related concerns in the geopolitical arena.
Barbados and Norway established diplomatic relations in 1976.