Prime Minister Philip J Pierre is pushing for more advocacy among regional territories in midst of the impacts of the climate change phenomenon on these island states.
He says it will require a collaborative effort within CARICOM countries to combat this global warming issue that has resulted in severe repercussions for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Referring to the climate change phenomenon, PM Pierre stated that his “biggest fear” is to wake up one day to find that “our GDP has been affected by a weather event”, which is definitely a cause for worry.
“That’s why I spend sleepless nights anytime I hear about a system…I literally can’t sleep,” PM Pierre told reporters recently at a media briefing.
Cognizant of the impact that climate change poses to the wellbeing and livelihoods of regional people, the prime minister said it is important to have greater dialogue on “climate change and adaptation and mitigation, and the 1.5 degrees Celsius situation”, which, according to him, is a very “serious” matter.
“And all of our gains can be wiped out literally in hours,” declared PM Pierre. He recalled the more recent trough that affected the northern region, particularly in the Corinth area causing much damages and losses to residents from the area.
“That is just the tip of the iceberg,” he declared. “And all the signs are leading to that kind of destruction …this is what I lose sleep on.”
Expounding on efforts by the authorities to mitigate against climate change, on the home front, Pierre contended that “the government alone cannot have (apply) the 1.5 degrees Celsius situation …it is a world event, and climate change doesn’t affect Saint Lucia only, there is literally nothing Saint Lucia can do by itself to avoid the effects of climate change.”
“What Saint Lucia can do is to have mitigation against climate change …what Saint Lucia can do is to have (implement) adaptation,” he explained. “We cannot deal with the macro situation …we have to deal with our carbon emissions, and it’s got to be a worldwide situation.”
The prime minister noted that at COP 26 (United Nations’ Climate Change Conference), the CARICOM heads called on global leaders of the developed countries “to meet their obligations … (since) the developed world pledged a sum of about $100 million for worldwide climate mitigation.”
Pierre noted that the “world is getting warmer” and “to narrow in on what our government is doing is very difficult and complicated” since the onus is on stressing the importance of mitigation.
However, in an effort to sensitize the public about the impacts of climate change in the region, he explained people are being instructed “to stop cutting down the forest, stop dumping (garbage) in the rivers, stop building houses near the river banks, place guttering in homes so that you can drain the water off your foundation.”
He added, while these are the kind of things that are being promoted by the authorities, they are but “micro steps…but climate change is a worldwide phenomenon and there is literally nothing we can do as small countries if the world doesn’t agree that they have to stop the global warming that is taking place.”
Additionally, PM Pierre disclosed, there are wide discussions being held globally “on climate adaptation and mitigation” which revolves around why countries should have to pay loans after a hurricane.
He explained that most of the loans secured by government was to pay for “climate events” and other natural hazards.
The prime minister noted: “What is being held (happening) in the new financial order …is that we’re saying to the world we are the people in the region that create the least problems as far as climate change is concerned.
“Most of it comes from the industrialized countries, but we are paying the most. So, we say to them, we have loans so put in a climate adaptation clause that ‘if bad weather affects you then you stop paying the loan’. Right now, we have to pay our Covid loans …so we are saying to them let’s put in that clause.”
PM Pierre asserted: “What we are saying is that we need to have advocacy and that’s another problem …but sometimes you have to go out to advocate for the country, particularly now.
“We will be going to COP26 in October …and the emphasis is ‘Let the world polluters pay for their pollution’, because they are the ones who cause it, not us. Our industries are under threat …and there are discussions pertaining to cruise ships because of pollution. So, our tourism industry is under threat as part of the discussion.”
There is nothing any country can do to affect climate change, its 100% natural and controlled by our sun and oceans, El Nino is coming into force now and affecting rain patterns.
Andy, you are so right. The many years of indiscriminate and greed ridden human assault on the environment, on the land and forests and natural protectors of equilibrium on planet earth has arrived at point zero.
The generation who understood, respected and cared for the land, air and water; that generation is gone;
Today’s generation called the old people, bitack; old fashioned and refused to learn the conservation methods culled from the wisdom of our ancestors.
Now the rivers are drying; the arable land they left us is gentrified with million dollar gros cai that leaves us slaves to banks; the sun is burning and the frequent hurricanes unforgiving.
So how do we go back in the ways, seek for the good path to rejuvenate the place, when the children coming refuse to plant a breadfruit tree to save themselves?
Humanity in the 21 Century has come to this. Who can tell the storm don’t come upon us?
Who can command the sun to decrease its heat, or dig deep into the belly of Mon Repos to bring the Trou Masa river back to its past glory?
Let’s hope we realize what we’re doing to ourselves in time to pull ourselves from the abyss of human doom on earth.