FORT-DE-FRANCE – Hon. Minister with responsibility for the Environment, Claude Hogan says Saturday’s Climate Change Summit on Martinique could be world changing.
Hogan is joining colleagues from across the Caribbean for the one-day summit initiated by the President of France, who is currently on St. Maarten/St. Martin.
“I have successfully cleared all the security hurdles and I am inside the Security bubble into which the French President, Francois Hollande will enter tomorrow,” Hogan commented online.
“Other Caribbean colleagues here include so far: PM Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines, PM Roosevelt Skerritt of Dominica, the Prime Minister of Curacao, Foreign Minister of Haiti and a host of other Foreign Ministers, Ministers of the Environment and Diplomats including the CARICOM Secretary General Ambassador Irwin Larocque and the OECS Director General Didacus Jules,” he added.
“The Commissioner of Martinique to the OECS told me that while home she was representing the OECS including Montserrat. This means I have good all round help here, because the cause and the cost is huge to address Climate Change, but as a first world developed country, among those blamed for the problems, France is leading from in front.
“Among our needs are:
1. To secure mitigation pledges/funding by the major emitters,
2. Pursuit of full de-carbonisation/alternative energy with a target date of 2050,
3. Implementation of mitigation measures now to reduce the impacts of Climate Change,
4. Work to limit average temperature increase to sub 2 degrees Celsius,
5. Reduction by Parties of global annual emissions of green house gases,
6. Implementation of a compliance regime,
7. Provision of support for capacity building and technology transfer for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), so we can help save ourselves.
Continues Below Photo
“If the French lead takes us to agree binding commitments from the USA, China and its EU partners, the British could get involved in a big way as well.
“I think strategically the question for Montserrat will be whether we use DFID mechanisms or regional mechanisms to finance and manage our fair and equitable participation, once the funds are committed.
“This event could be world changer of profound importance to the Caribbean and the World,” he concluded.
Following the meeting, the officials are to fly with the president to Guadeloupe on the official carrier, Air France.
