Dear Editor,
This September, The New York Times published âHow Climate Migration Will Reshape America,â the U.S.-based chapter in its series on climate migration. The piece confirmed what residents of Americaâs island territories have insisted for decades: that climate change in the United States is not a hypothetical, but a reality. Accompanying the article was a series of maps showing how global warming will inevitably alter the country as most Americans know it: one contiguous landmass stretching from sea to shining sea, with zero mention of its overseas territories.
This incomplete depiction of the U.S. should come as no surprise to any of the 4 million Americans living in the Caribbean; as Sondheim indelibly put it, âNobody knows in America, Puerto Ricoâs in America.â However, when it comes to climate policy, the mainlandâs consistent disregard of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands crosses the line from frustrating to actively harmful. These
December 21, 2020 Share
Non-Aligned Movement has emphasized the need to develop comprehensive adaption measure to address climate-related impacts on health as well as the environment. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), most of its Member States also being a part of the NAM, is committed to addressing these issues and have launched many significant initiatives in this regard.
On December 1, the European-Caribbean Forum (EU/CARIFORUM) Climate Change and Health Project in the Caribbean was launched. The project is aimed at reducing mortality and morbidity from health consequences of climate change and promoting linkages to the environmental determinants of health in the CARICOM Member States.
Leadership on the climate change issue
This past weekend marked the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement, an accord signed by nearly 200 countries including oil-exporting nations committing to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, which continue to harm our planet and threaten our future.
The goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
On Saturday, seven of the 14 CARICOM member states that are parties to the agreement delivered statements at the Climate Ambition Summit organized by the United Kingdom, France and the United Nations in cooperation with Chile and Italy.
‘CARICOM Moment of Ambition’ held on eve of Paris Agreement’s 5th Anniversary
GEORGETOWN, Guyana On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the Caribbean Community CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), in partnership with the UK government hosted the “CARICOM Moment of Ambition”, on Friday.
The event was convened to demonstrate continued small island developing states (SIDS) leadership and ambition and to underscore the need for immediate climate action internationally. Hosting this event prior to the December 12 Climate Ambition Summit hosted by the UN, the UK and France to celebrate the Paris anniversary, served to amplify the voice of CARICOM SIDS.