Minister of Tourism and Sustainable Development, Carlos James is leading this country’s delegation to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties {COP26} in Glasgow, Scotland.
Minister James, who holds the portfolio for climate change related matters, leaves the State on Wednesday and will lead a four-member delegation to the climate conference as part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ efforts to strengthen the position of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).
The Minister says the climate summit represents an important call to action to hold developed countries accountable as the main contributors of greenhouse gas emissions.
He says the catastrophic effects brought on by climate change is a global emergency that goes beyond national borders and requires international cooperation and coordinated solutions at all levels.
The Sustainable Development Minister cautioned that if action is not taken now, Small Island Development States like St. Vincent and the Grenadines, will become unrecognisable due to the severe impact of climate change.
The other members of delegation are Nyasha Hamilton, Environmental Resource Analyst, Edmund R. Jackson, Climate Change Advisor and Janeel Drayton, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Nations.
From November 1-12, world leaders, negotiators and international institutions will attend COP26 with the hope of agreeing on a comprehensive plan being drawn up to avert a global climate crisis.
It is being billed as the most important climate meeting since the Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change agreed among world leaders at the UN Climate Conference in 2015.
This year’s conference aims to hold countries accountable to their commitment of substantially reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and to provide financing to developing countries to mitigate climate change.
