There is a need for an early agreement on the various unresolved issues in the climate change negotiations.
This view was expressed by Prime Minister, Freundel Stuart, yesterday as he delivered the feature address at the Global Celebration for World Environment Day 2014, in Independence Square, under the slogan Raise Your Voice, Not the Sea Level.
Mr. Stuart identified some of those issues as support for undertaking urgent adaptation action on the ground in Small Island Developing States (SIDS); adequate financing, in particular, the finalisation of the architecture and operationalisation of the Green Climate Fund; and conclusion of the discussion on loss and damage.
He told his audience: ???The Government of Barbados sincerely hopes that the next meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in the Latin American and Caribbean region, in Peru later this year, will be able to resolve many of these issues.???
He stressed that Barbados was ready to work closely with the Government of Peru, as agreed by the Forum of Ministers of Environment for Latin America and the Caribbean, to ensure the success of the meeting.
The Prime Minister disclosed that Barbados would be participating in the United Nations Special Summit on Climate Change in September this year. He gave the assurance that this country would continue to work closely with its partners to address the numerous issues associated with global climate change.
???Since for SIDS these issues have the potential to affect our very survival, capitulation for us can never be an option??? Given the imperatives of the climate change agenda, we can assure you that this region and SIDS in general are committed to running the race and that we are able to handle the pace,??? he underlined.
Mr. Stuart thanked the United Nations and the United Nations Environment Programme for selecting Barbados and the Caribbean to host the environment celebrations.
He said it highlighted Barbados??? role as a guardian of the SIDS process, and signals its continued commitment to serve as a hub for inter and intra-regional initiatives that would emerge from the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Samoa later this year.
sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb