US climate change envoy says he wants to listen to Caribbean leaders on climate change

NASSAU, Bahamas, Feb 15, CMC –The United States Special Presidential Climate envoy, John Kerry, says he intends to listen to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries regarding their concerns about the impact of climate change.

“You can’t say this is an existential issue in one breath and then walk around and slow walk our approach to the technologies, to the challenges we face particularly in island states. The island states of the world and the sub-Saharan African states. I mean 48 sub–Saharan African countries equal 0.555 per cent of all the emissions in the world,” Kerry told a function hosted by the US embassy here on Tuesday night.

“I just want to say to all of you, it takes everybody. Every country has got to be a part of this journey and you know The Bahamas and other countries in the region don’t contribute a lot to it, but we all have a vested interest in making certain that we’re on a track to do what our citizens want us to do and citizens around the world want us to do, which is to respond to this crisis,” he added.

Kerry is leading a 30-member delegation that includes former US Senator Chris Dodd and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian Nichols, to the 44th CARICOM summit that gets underway here later this evening with the ceremonial opening that will also be attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Speaking at the function at which Prime Minister and CARICOM chairman, Phillip Davis, was also present, Kerry said the reason for his visit is simply to listen to the concerns of the regional leaders and hear the challenges faced by Caribbean countries regarding the impact of climate change.

“So, we’ll talk…and I came here along with Chris and Brian and the rest of our delegation, we came here to listen.

“We want to listen to you. How do you deal with the resilience issue? What are the choices in terms of adaptation? What are options in terms of our ability to deal with food production and quick response to increasingly intense storms which take their wrath on the islands again and again and again, most recently, with Dorian?

“So, my friends, we’re all in this together. Different layers of contribution, different levels of responsibility, but every one of us has to take measure of our responsibility to live up to the hopes and aspirations of our kids and grandkids,” the US envoy added.

Prime Minister Davis said he was looking forward to the continued close collaboration between the United States and CARICOM, specifically in the areas of climate resilience, economic diversification and clean energy transition.

“The fabric of our societies is already woven together. Our Caribbean sons and daughters are going on to do great things in the United States. Having just witnessed the immense talent of Rihanna at the Super Bowl halftime show, I think it’s safe to say that the Caribbean American connection is an impressive one, capable of astounding not merely at the level of the hemisphere, but the entire globe.

“Moving forward, I would be delighted to see new opportunities emerge for deepening cultural and educational exchange between the Caribbean and the United States. The future is certainly ripe for fresh enterprises in the sectors of tourism, education, and the orange economy, so let us innovate and endeavour to strengthen the existing ties between our regions,” Davis added.

We want to hear from you! Email us at star@gleanerjm.com and follow @thejamaicastar on Instagram and on Twitter @JamaicaStar and on Facebook: @TheJamaicaStar, or on Whatsapp @ 876-550-2506.