Salutations

On 6 April 2007, the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Fourth Assessment Report on climate change which focused on the impacts, adaptation and vulnerability with regard to planet earth. The high level of confidence demonstrated in the methodology and in the quality data used in the preparation of the report, underscores the global concerns over the relationship between observed climate change and observed changes in the natural and human environment.

More specific information is now available on a wide range of physical and biological systems and sectors and the way they are linked to anthropogenic warming across all geographic regions. The report provides a systematic understanding of how the timing and magnitude of impacts may be affected by changes in climate and sea level, associated with differing amounts and rates of change in global average temperatures.

Climate issues are being given increased focus on the global political agenda. About one week ago, the United Nations Security Council discussed climate change for the first time. That Council views climate change as a serious threat to human security. Many governments have committed themselves to ensuring the successful implementation of international agreements relating to climate issues. These commitments were triggered, mainly, by concerns about human-induced climate change, its potential adverse impacts, and its challenge to the goal of sustainable development

It should be underscored, however, that while the climate system may be global in nature, and many decisions related to it are best dealt with through international agreements and joint implementation efforts, it is imperative that nations also take decisions on a local and regional basis. Countries require specialised information on the climate in their regions to provide reliable services, such as early warning on potential disasters, as well as to assist in the formulation of policies with regard to sustainable development.

In response to this necessity, the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community establish the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre in July, 2002. The Centre was established to coordinate the Caribbean region’s response to climate change. The on-going Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change project which is managed by the Centre is seeking to build national and regional capacity to address the increasing vulnerabilities of our society to climate change as outlined in the IPCC report.

In 2004 and 2005, the Caribbean region experienced hurricanes of greater intensity and frequency than ever before. Increased rainfall is also causing damage to food crops and livestock through flooding, thereby creating a heavier burden on, and further reducing the ability of, our Member States to cope with developmental challenges. For us, adapting to climate change is an issue of survival.

Despite the gloomy picture which comes to mind when we reflect on what is happening to our physical environment the world over, I do believe that there is reason for hope. We have signed numerous international agreements through the United Nations such as the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, the Convention to Combat Desertification, and the Convention on Biological Diversity which provides the context for the protection of the world’s fragile ecosystems. The time is long past for the implementation of many of the provisions of these conventions and we therefore need to act with haste to make these conventions more effective.

As underscored in the IPCC Report, the central task for the development of operational climate service in small developing coastal states, like ours in the Caribbean, is capacity building. International activities under this thrust should continue to contribute to the building of a stronger technical capability to provide past and real-time climate information at the national and local level in order to enhance CARICOM’s efforts towards sustainable development.

The CARICOM Secretariat, along with the Centre, welcomes the Caribbean media as you join us in recognising the development challenges posed by climate change. We are confident that you, the media, will see the virtue in bringing the story of climate change, as outlined in the IPCC report, to the attention of all citizens of the Caribbean Community.

Thank you.