The Intersessional Forum for Ministers of Environment from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) meeting could not have “come at a better time”.
Ambassador of Argentina to Barbados, Gustavo Martinez Pandiani, made this statement today, as he delivered remarks during the final day of the forum being held at Hilton Barbados.
Emphasizing why he believes the forum is timely, Mr. Pandiani stated: “The world we live in today is no longer what we once knew; climate change is affecting our lives, our homes, and has the potential to dramatically affect the survival of future generations.”
He added that having resided in Barbados for the last two years he had become fully aware of the risks faced by small island developing states (SIDS) with respect to global warming, and asserted that “it is our mission and our responsibility to make the whole world aware of the gravity of the situation” SIDS face.
Ambassador Pandiani, who agreed with the recent statement by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley at the General Assembly of the United Nations that global warming and climate change issues are not about government, but about people, said: “It is no longer just a political commitment, but a moral obligation among human beings.”
Mr. Pandiani pointed out that if we did not act now, we would leave a much bigger problem for our children, and called on those in attendance to contribute to the change needed.
“The good news is that if we work together we can still reduce the impact of climate change on our lives, the environment and future generations…. It is essential to prioritize [environmental] issues in our agenda and move from speech to action,” he stated.