Efforts are under way to ensure that the needs of countries most vulnerable to climate change, especially Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are addressed when the 15th Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15), comes off in Copenhagen in December this year.
In light of the need for general agreement on the formulation of a new multilateral accord that seeks to combat climate change, a high-level technical delegation from Denmark met with Minister of the Environment, Dr. Denis Lowe, and other senior environmental officials, earlier this week and discussed matters related to climate change and energy.
The team, which will be visiting several countries over the next seven months, was headed by Deputy Permanent Secretary in Denmark???s Ministry of Climate and Energy, Thomas Becker, who was accompanied by two advisers.?? Barbados??? selection for the visit was based on its international reputation as a strong advocate of sustainable development, taking into account the needs of vulnerable small island developing states.
In addressing the delegation, Minister Lowe stressed that the Barbados Government was fully committed to the prospect of a Green Economy and by extension sustainable development, and as such had placed environmental issues among its top priorities.
Making it clear that SIDS depended on global support to advance their climate change endeavours, Dr. Lowe contended: ???We must be vigorous in advancing our issues. We want to become global partners ???so that what happens on the global stage does not leave us outside of the corridors of participation.???
Mr. Becker, who lauded Barbados for its efforts, surmised: ???Barbados is the conscience of negotiations.?? The appeal is better when you take the floor. You do have a lot of influence and it is important that you keep pressing on.???
The Danish official also highlighted the need for Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States??? countries to have a united front in the upcoming negotiations.
cgaskin@barbados.gov.bb