ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Bahamas Prime Minister Phillip Davis Thursday warned Caribbean Group (CARICOM) international locations in opposition to “capturing arrows at new targets” as regional governments meet right here to consolidate their place forward of the United Nations Local weather Change Convention (COP 28) that will get underway in Dubai in November.
Addressing the second Caribbean Small Island Creating States (SIDS) Excessive-Degree Dialogue on Local weather Change, Davis stated the urgency of the work earlier than the area couldn’t be extra clear and that even in one of the best case eventualities in lowering fossil fuels “for the foreseeable future, our area will proceed to expertise warming oceans, rising waters and extra intense hurricanes.”
He advised the viewers, together with his colleagues from St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, and the host nation Grenada, that greater than a trillion tons of carbon dioxide have been launched into the ambiance for the reason that begin of the commercial revolution.
“Attempt as they may skirt across the subject, the industrialized north might want to take advantage of sizeable changes. It’s in any case their improvement which has introduced us so far. We should name on our north companions to ship on their dedication at COP 15…to mobilize US$100 million per 12 months by 2021.
“This is identical purpose reiterated at COP 21 in Paris and prolonged to 2025. So far, they haven’t reached this goal,” Davis stated, including, “My mates, it is unnecessary capturing arrows at new targets when the bullseye of twenty years earlier than has but to be hit.”
Prime Minister Davis stated that with COP 28 scheduled for November 30 to December 12, it’s essential that growing international locations on the entrance line of the local weather disaster maintain the developed world to account.
He stated whether or not these international locations honor their commitments “might make a distinction between a mere disturbance and one other devastating class 5 hurricane that hit his nation just a few years in the past, inflicting billions of {dollars} in injury and continues to be recovering from.
He stated to additional the curiosity of the Caribbean, which is far the identical as different Small Island Creating States (SIDS) within the Pacific and the Indian oceans, “we should as one area be united by clear concepts . and a standard function.
“All of us lie in the identical hurricane alley, all of us rely to a sure extent on the vacationer financial system, and all of us share a standard…tradition that’s beneath risk,” Davis stated, urging the delegates to make use of the event “to marry our voices to make ourselves heard.”
Davis stated he had advocated for an everyday CARICOM Excessive-level SIS assembly on the United Nations calendar, the primary in Nassau, “as a result of I firmly imagine that the Caribbean can accomplish something it desires.
“Allow us to use this discussion board to determine our priorities, focus our efforts, and combat for a sustainable future. A future by which the months of June to November don’t spell gloom and doom for the international locations of the Caribbean.”
He stated that the important thing to the way forward for the Caribbean would be the area’s sustained efforts to see a loss and injury fund come to full fruition, noting that the adoption of the fund at COP 27 “was a outstanding achievement of Caribbean solidarity on which we can not permit to let fall by the wayside.
“The time has come to double down on our efforts to inform these developed nations to put in writing the cheque as they’ve kicked the can down the street for a lot too lengthy. We can not depart COP 28 with out the primary funding pledge being recognized,” Davis advised the viewers.
“That is no minor endeavor, but when they’re the large tree, we’re the small axe, and simply as we maintain the developed world to account, we should take energetic strides to boost our local weather resilience,” Davis added.
The assembly right here will deal with six thematic areas, together with financing the transition to renewable power within the Caribbean, tapping into the potential of wind, photo voltaic, geothermal, and hydroelectricity, in addition to remodeling worldwide monetary structure, enabling entry to blue and inexperienced finance, and regional collaboration on carbon pricing mechanisms.
Accelerating e-mobility: reducing prices, lowering emissions, and constructing a dependable transportation system by means of electrification are additionally among the many themes to be mentioned right here.
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